Sugar is not your friend part 2

Steph_135

MTGirl... Good for you for controlling the cravings! Last time I had After 8's, I was good at only eating one at a time, but after a while, I did like the peeps, and ate all the ones that were left in the box! I realized after that, that I should just avoid the entire thing all together.

pettmybunny

Hello sugar shunners! Easter has come and gone, Lent is over, and this is my first post back on the boards. Am hoping to keep it under control now...

Read back a few pages. I was at the store the other day, with the Easter candy half off. I picked up the peeps and read the ingredient list, wondering if it would trigger my allergies. Good thing is that it won't. But then I realized I still have a box of orange peeps (orange is my favorite color) in the cupboard from last year. So, I put the peeps back on the shelf.

Have been traveling this week, took my oldest on a road trip to N.C. to visit my best friend. They have Peanut Butter and Co. on their shelves. I have read about the joys of PB and Co on the forum here. I picked up a jar. I had it gone in 4 days. Damn, that stuff is deadly. Then I was stupid and bought 3 jars to take home. I sat in the hotel room last night and ate 3/4 of a jar spoonful by spoonful. I awoke this morning with stomach cramps. When I get home, I am giving the jars to DH, and he is going to have to ration it. I cannot control myself with it right now. I do not trust myself with it. I've not had this kind of issue before, and I'm not sure how to deal with it. Wow.

Steph_135

I picked up the peeps and read the ingredient list, wondering if it would trigger my allergies. Good thing is that it won't.

I picked them up and read "gluten-free" and that was good enough for me! :laugh:

Marla64

Proud of rebounding today and not letting the sugar monster grip me yesterday--

Wasn't the best of days yesterday-- lots weighing on me-- rather than continue to eat everything else in sight to avoid the sugar that I craved, I finally indulged in some ice cream.

Bought some donuts tonight for the kids-- and didn't even sniff 'em-- way relieved--

Dodged a bullet, I think-- whew!

pettmybunny

So... finished off the second jar of that darned peanut butter tonight. I put DH in charge of the remaining 2 jars. Not sure if that's a good thing. He likes it too, ha ha. Then again, if he eats the jars, then I won't be. Good to be home. It's only 8 and I'm ready for bed already.

All this talk of peeps, and after I didn't buy them at the store the other day, I thought I'd eat the year old ones that were in my cupboard. Ummm.... no.... even though they were probably still soft and squishy (they had never been opened), DH threw them away when he was on a cleaning frenzy while I was gone.

Saved from myself again!

Steph_135

Last time I made cookies, I was so disgusted by them and from the amount I was eating, that I ended up throwing them all out! Lately, I had some salted nuts I kept snacking on, and ended up doing that too. It's really the best thing you can do sometimes. You have to do it right when the urge to stop hits. STOP. Look at what you're eating, and throw it out. I have to do this more often. Or stop baking.

lotusfromthemud

Yesterday was my authorized sweet day and I ended up not having any. It did involve homemade macaroni and cheese, so don't throw me a moderation parade just yet. I also had a spoonful of the PB & co. stash I keep in the house...and it's not a trigger food for me. I think it's because it's not refined sugar. Refined sugar = trigger, big time...a lot of other sweeteners (cane syrup, agave, honey, maple syrup) seem actually satisfying. I'm a walking experiment.

Also, I decided to move my authorized sugar day to a post-strenuous workout time. My trainer has informed me that simple carbs are actually good for muscle recovery, and I'm having major issues there (essentially I'm sore all the time) so I'm doing it in the interest of science. I have boxing on Mondays, and a strenuous lifting/bootcamp class on Wednesdays, so I'm thinking one of those. One.

Or not. I can't seem to figure this out. I guess I need a screw-up portion of my life to keep everything in balance.

pettmybunny

Yesterday was my authorized sweet day and I ended up not having any. It did involve homemade macaroni and cheese, so don't throw me a moderation parade just yet. I also had a spoonful of the PB & co. stash I keep in the house...and it's not a trigger food for me. I think it's because it's not refined sugar. Refined sugar = trigger, big time...a lot of other sweeteners (cane syrup, agave, honey, maple syrup) seem actually satisfying. I'm a walking experiment.

I think I figured out why I went through 2 jars of PB & CO in 10 days (gosh that sounds really bad). With my milk allergies, I have found a semi-sweet chocolate chip (ghiradelli) that is made without milk. It's semi-sweet though, so while chocolatey and good, doesn't trigger sweet cravings, just satisfies. That dark chocolate dream PB & CO is a very sweet chocolate flavor. I think the sweet chocolate is what triggered my binges. I guess figuring it out is step one of conquering it.... Right????

MTGirl

Oh boy. I'm in trouble here. Not good. Hubby was sick last night with the same thing baby girl had last Wed night. Men are sooooo much worse - at least my man is. I hate being this tired, I cannot overcome the sugar cravings. I'm putting the brakes on, and will do my couch 2 5k run tonight so hopefully that will help. I've slid off the cliff and need to find my way back up!

lotusfromthemud

Yesterday was my authorized sweet day and I ended up not having any. It did involve homemade macaroni and cheese, so don't throw me a moderation parade just yet. I also had a spoonful of the PB & co. stash I keep in the house...and it's not a trigger food for me. I think it's because it's not refined sugar. Refined sugar = trigger, big time...a lot of other sweeteners (cane syrup, agave, honey, maple syrup) seem actually satisfying. I'm a walking experiment.

I think I figured out why I went through 2 jars of PB & CO in 10 days (gosh that sounds really bad). With my milk allergies, I have found a semi-sweet chocolate chip (ghiradelli) that is made without milk. It's semi-sweet though, so while chocolatey and good, doesn't trigger sweet cravings, just satisfies. That dark chocolate dream PB & CO is a very sweet chocolate flavor. I think the sweet chocolate is what triggered my binges. I guess figuring it out is step one of conquering it.... Right????

I found it didn't taste that sweet to me...it's always interesting how people's tastes/cravings/demons are different. If it makes you feel any better, my last hard-core binge involved two (large) jars of nutella in under two days...and a lot of other foods. Nutella is a crazy trigger for me (I think it's just eating candy in peanut butter form, essentially).

Last night, I had my scheduled, portion-controlled sugar for the week. (after boxing class). Then, I went home and took my fish oil...and no muscle soreness today so far. Hooray! Wednesday I'll try a controlled experiment with just the fish oil. (I have no idea why that's supposed to help, but that was my trainers recommendation: aggressively don't carb restrict after strength training and take some fish oil after).

So, now I'm back on the no-sugar train until at least next Monday. I find that for me for now, having an authorized day really helps me say no on the non-authorized day.

MTGirl

Couch to 5K just about killed me last night. Maybe I learned my lesson about eating a bunch of sugar then trying to jog. NOT fun! So far, so good today :drinker: On Thurs I do two 10 minute runs so I want the sugar out of my system. Sat is the 25 minute run. I'll call it running if I want to - I don't care what anyone watching me calls it :laugh:

cmriverside

" authorized day "

Brilliant, V, as always.


Welcome back, bunny. We missed-ed you.

Marla64

I guess maybe that's what my ice cream with the other night-- my authorized day. I was just having a very stressful day, and knew I'd keep eating other junk to try and satisfy my yen for sweets-- so I indulged.

But, I'm so happy to have gained some control. My kids built "sod houses" for an Oregon Trail unit study we're doing with some homeschool friends yesterday-- their building blocks were brownies. Ouch. They made their roof with chocolate frosting and coconut.

Minus a fingerful of icing, I abstained-- major victory. I know what happens to me if I give in.

Still afraid of doing the authorized day-- especially with certain foods. Chocolate? I'm a goner if I touch it. I know this. So, I don't know when I'll let myself have it again.

Enjoying the current strength-- even if it's not translating into weight loss presently.

Went to the doctor today who has me up 6 pounds since September. You can't know how this pisses me off. Nothing has changed in my eating and/or activity levels. Watching sugar, sodium, pastas and white bread, et cetera--

Having my thyroid checked, because at the same time, I have major belly gluck that won't budge no matter what I'm doing.

At least she didn't blow me off-- great doctor. We'll see what happens.

Later, my sweet friends.

pettmybunny

Welcome back, bunny. We missed-ed you.

Awwww.... I missed-ed you's guys too!

Am doing well staying away from the sugar, although I have to verbally (yes, my family is now positive that I am insane) tell myself "NO!" when I start thinking about that darned chocolate peanut butter. So far, the seals are still unbroken on those two jars.

cmriverside

Welcome back, bunny. We missed-ed you.

Awwww.... I missed-ed you's guys too!

Am doing well staying away from the sugar, although I have to verbally (yes, my family is now positive that I am insane) tell myself "NO!" when I start thinking about that darned chocolate peanut butter. So far, the seals are still unbroken on those two jars.

An out-loud "NO!" is your friend. :laugh:



Marla,

I think most people gain five pounds or more in the winter; even those who watch carefully what they are eating. We may think we haven't changed our activity levels, but we really don't do as much when we can't get outside and go to all the summertime functions. I bet you didn't run as much in the winter time, either. It's just cold outside! Those of us (like me) who don't go to the gym and live in colder climates will naturally not get as much exercise unless you're into home stuff like weights or DVDs.

There are also many "events" centered around huge spreads of food in the winter. The lack of sunlight can contribute to eating more carbs and less hours of activity because of shorter days. I've learned that even life-long thin people gain weight in the winter (no excuses for you Floridians - with your sunny winters!)

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. At least I didn't gain 15 like last year...........I gained 5 lbs since my doctor appointment in September. I'm not sweating it, and I'm not seeing it as a failure, either.

It's okay, they will be gone when / if we ever get sunshine again.

Marla64

Hmmmmm-- maybe, Cheryl-- 'cept I did the veggie juice fast last week for four days for the arthritis-- and gained a pound. WTF?

We'll see-- I'm still plugging along.

MTGirl

Hmmmmm-- maybe, Cheryl-- 'cept I did the veggie juice fast last week for four days for the arthritis-- and gained a pound. WTF?

We'll see-- I'm still plugging along.

Have you heard anything on your thyroid test Marla?? They should have the results within 2 days or so. At least they do here! You definately should have lost weight on the veggie juice fast. You know, unless you guzzled gallons of the stuff!

Marla64

Hmmmmm-- maybe, Cheryl-- 'cept I did the veggie juice fast last week for four days for the arthritis-- and gained a pound. WTF?

We'll see-- I'm still plugging along.

Have you heard anything on your thyroid test Marla?? They should have the results within 2 days or so. At least they do here! You definately should have lost weight on the veggie juice fast. You know, unless you guzzled gallons of the stuff!

Nope-- not gallons, by any stretch. And I buy the low sodium kind, and drink water with it, to boot. So, it made no sense to me.

No results yet-- had the blood test yesterday-- I'll call tomorrow and see if they have anything.

Had a great run tonight-- shorts and a tank top-- felt cool and had good energy-- go figure.

lotusfromthemud

Hmmmmm-- maybe, Cheryl-- 'cept I did the veggie juice fast last week for four days for the arthritis-- and gained a pound. WTF?

We'll see-- I'm still plugging along.

Have you heard anything on your thyroid test Marla?? They should have the results within 2 days or so. At least they do here! You definately should have lost weight on the veggie juice fast. You know, unless you guzzled gallons of the stuff!

Nope-- not gallons, by any stretch. And I buy the low sodium kind, and drink water with it, to boot. So, it made no sense to me.

No results yet-- had the blood test yesterday-- I'll call tomorrow and see if they have anything.

Had a great run tonight-- shorts and a tank top-- felt cool and had good energy-- go figure.

Hey, I had my thyroid tested a few weeks ago, and they called to set up more bloodwork...are we in some weird disorder sync? Although, I had a bunch of other junk tested, and apparently only one of them came back with a result that was (according to the nurse who called me) "a teeny bit off"...but she couldn't tell me which one over the phone. I would really like to know why I seem to magically be staying the same or gaining weight while usually calorie restricting.

And, yes, ladies that's "usually"....

Yesterday was a super-bad-awful-crazy-out-of-control food day for me. I had a clothes shopping meltdown and essentially just ate for about six hours straight. (I have no idea how I can do this and not hurl.) Strangely, there was no refined sugar invovled (although there were some brown-rice-syrup sweetened cookies from an earthy-crunchy bakery, so pretty much it was sugar) . It was all semi-good food, I just could.not.stop.eating.it.

Back to my semi-normal self today.

oliveoil7979

Well after reading through the posts I feel like I have found my long lost family. I am a sugar adict. I really thought it was just me that suffered from this. My husband could really care less about sweets, and I don't see other people literaly acting crazy because they are having a sweet attack. lol

I have not been activley avoiding sugar, but it does seem to happen on its own the more healthy I try to eat. I have been doing a great job..unti yesterday. I stopped at Starbucks, got a skinny late, and a choclate banana coffee cake. (I thought I would give myself a small reward) I spent the rest of the raiding the vending machine, something i haven't done in months. I had cookies and crackers and granola bars. It was out of control. After reading the posts I know it all started with that bit of sugar in the morning that I don't normally have. Isn't it crazy how much it alters our personality and eating habits.

Sugar is not my friend. Sugar is the opposite of my friend.
I am "back on the wagon" now. Fingers crossed I stay there.

richardsrm

binged last night............changed my routine.....not sure what triggered it .........but I am on vacation this week .......idle hands...........as they say so I resolve to get on line whenever I feel the need to cave in. Thanks to all of you Richie

pettmybunny

Good morning all! I did open my jar of dark chocolate dreams peanut butter last night. I smeared it over a banana. Then I dipped in for a spoonful. Realized what I was doing, and took the jar back to the kitchen, put the lid on and left it alone. Yeah me! Semi-controlled portioning! Semi-controlled only because of that extra spoonful.

Other than that, I've been doing pretty good. I managed to talk myself out of the coffee shop coffee (I usually get a soy snickers bar-expresso, soy milk, hazelnut flavor, chocolate syrup and caramel syrup, I think it ends up being 400 to 500 calories). I stood in front of the bakery case at the store, salivating, before finally talking myself out of anything (which was good, because it would have triggered my allergies). I stood in the checkout line vacillating between a candy bar (chocolate will trigger allergies) and skittles, finally deciding on neither.

Not sure why I've been craving so much lately. Is it because of the peanut butter binging of last week? All I know is I've been struggling quite a bit since coming home from vacation. I've been winning the battle, but still, it's a struggle.

cmriverside

Well, I still say it's the lack of sunshine.


Welcome sister oliveoil! :flowerforyou:

72lori

Hey gang. Long time, no post.

Some friends that have been in your life a long time are really hard to cut all ties with and move on like you never knew them in the first place. You know the good times you had and no matter what you tell yourself about how bad they are for you, it's hard to ignore that friend.

Just sayin........

I decided yesterday I either have to deal with the dang friend or deal with the extra belly pudge. It's so sad I can't have my friend and a flat tummy. :sad:

wannabe

oh but donuts are!!!! i really dont care i will eat donuts and i will them forever..............

Marla64

Well, I still say it's the lack of sunshine.


Welcome sister oliveoil! :flowerforyou:

Well, blood tests supposedly are normal-- Internet says thyroid is historically misdiagnosed, so I think they're full of crap. But, not much I can do. I can go down the list with symptoms-- brittle, crunchy hair, et cetera-- but, you know, whatever--

Good thing, I guess, is 40 pounds ago, while I was "unhappy" with my appearance, I lived with it-- content. If I gained 5 over the winter, eh, no biggie--

According to my scale, I'm 4.5 pounds up-- and it's all in my belly and back-- and I feel like a beached whale. Definitely not content-- love the change.

Still working my butt off-- not giving up by any stretch. Body may not respond, but I'm gonna mind my P's and Q's, dot my I's and cross my T's, do the ABC's of this new lifestyle and hope the weight comes off PDQ.

MTGirl

Marla - did they give you a print out of your results?? If not, ask them for it. I once had a Dr. tell me my TSH level of 16 was normal. Ha! There is some variance in what is considered normal but 3.2 - 5.5 is the high end of both scales used. Would be interesting to know the actual result.

Hope something breaks loose for you soon

Marla64

Marla - did they give you a print out of your results?? If not, ask them for it. I once had a Dr. tell me my TSH level of 16 was normal. Ha! There is some variance in what is considered normal but 3.2 - 5.5 is the high end of both scales used. Would be interesting to know the actual result.

Hope something breaks loose for you soon

Nope-- but I am going to call in the morning.

I got this terribly annoying form letter--

"I hope you continue to do well and look forward to seeing you-- blah, blah, blah"

Uh, hello? If I was doing well, I wouldn't have come to you in the first place-- idiot.

I don't run to the doctor with anything-- ever. I have to be dragged there. Hell, I suffered through 12 agonizing hours of a gall stone attack last spring before finally going to the emergency room-- and was told that my gall bladder was so infected they couldn't even remove it yet-- I had to have a day of IV antibiotics before they'd remove it.

So my point-- I'm no sissy. If I'm going to the doctor, it's because I truly feel like crap, lady-- so take your form letter and put it where the sun don't shine.

MTGirl

Marla - did they give you a print out of your results?? If not, ask them for it. I once had a Dr. tell me my TSH level of 16 was normal. Ha! There is some variance in what is considered normal but 3.2 - 5.5 is the high end of both scales used. Would be interesting to know the actual result.

Hope something breaks loose for you soon

Nope-- but I am going to call in the morning.

I got this terribly annoying form letter--

"I hope you continue to do well and look forward to seeing you-- blah, blah, blah"

Uh, hello? If I was doing well, I wouldn't have come to you in the first place-- idiot.

I don't run to the doctor with anything-- ever. I have to be dragged there. Hell, I suffered through 12 agonizing hours of a gall stone attack last spring before finally going to the emergency room-- and was told that my gall bladder was so infected they couldn't even remove it yet-- I had to have a day of IV antibiotics before they'd remove it.

So my point-- I'm no sissy. If I'm going to the doctor, it's because I truly feel like crap, lady-- so take your form letter and put it where the sun don't shine.

I hear you on that! I don't go unless it is imperative!! Like I think maybe I'm going to die. Definately get that print out! Sometimes Dr.'s decide a level is perfectly o.k. when it isn't - it amazes me.

cmriverside

Hey gang. Long time, no post.

Some friends that have been in your life a long time are really hard to cut all ties with and move on like you never knew them in the first place. You know the good times you had and no matter what you tell yourself about how bad they are for you, it's hard to ignore that friend.

Just sayin........

I decided yesterday I either have to deal with the dang friend or deal with the extra belly pudge. It's so sad I can't have my friend and a flat tummy. :sad:

Lori,

I recently "broke up" with a very good friend of 20 years. It is awful. They were like family to me. But as much as I used to love being around her, I cannot deal with the "Oh, woe is me..." any more. At some point, if all they do is complain: then they need to either change it or SHUT THE H-E-double-hockey-sticks UP !

We are all dealing the best we can with things that are less than perfect in our own lives.

I cannot solve her problems. I can barely solve my own.

And I'm tired, oh so tired of hearing about the same problems for decades......