Sugar is not your friend part 2

BrendaLee

As a rule, when I want to lose weight, I eat clean during the week and let loose during the weekend (since I'm a strong believer that if you hold out for too long, you binge); but at 34, I must come to the realization that it doesn't work that way anymore:sad: !

Hi Julie. I came to a realization recently that I can have NO sweets whatsoever, because once I taste it, that's the end for me, and about 2 bags of cookies. I just came off of a 2 month sweets binge in which I gained back 22 pounds of the 47 I had lost. I realized just how big of a problem I had, and that I was killing myself, and I quit cold turkey 11 days ago. I've already dropped 10 of the pounds I had put back on.

I haven't completely cut out hidden sugars or carbs (though I do eat pretty much all whole grain) or anything along those lines, but no sweets. It's been hell, but honestly, it's so much easier than having a little and trying to stop.

My nightly treat is a bowl of low sugar, whole grain almond cereal with a banana, and I can't believe how ridiculously sweet that tastes to me now. It hits the spot though, and I know I have some sweetness to look forward to at the end of the night.

XFitMojoMom

I just came across this thread and thought I could learn a few things from you.

I had some bloodwork done yesterday to well, try to determine why I'm having such a hard time losing weight.

The thyroid test came back normal.
The glucose came back "within normal range" - but possibly glucose "intolerant"... when you have diabetes, your glucose levels will be above 7 and normal range is under 6... my fasting range was 6.2, so above normal. She did one other test (A1C) which determines my glucose levels over the last 3 months and it was 57%, anything above 60% is not normal. So I'm in the higher range, but not considered diabetic.

So, my doctor has no answers for me, I see an endo next week and we will see what he can do for me - but right now all she can recommend is I stay away from refined sugars because she just sees it as being glucose intolerant. Funny thing is I rarely eat refined sugars.

Maybe the endo can fine tune it for me, but then next step is looking at my nutrition.
So that is my next question - since I don't normally eat sweets (I'm a salt & meat/cheese craver) - should I consider giving up fruits and just eat vegs? Mediterranean diet? I'm really pretty lost!

Raphi

Hey, Brenda Lee
Good job on quitting sugar cold turkey!! Wow, 10 days! :flowerforyou:
I have shivers just thinking of quitting sugar... For me, it's from an extreme to the other: whole grain everything, but chocolate, cookies and cake addict!
It's like I have split personality... I'm mad when I see that I didn't lose an inch with all the hard work I put in, but when it's time to go all out with cake, pop, chocolate etc... I suddenly "accept myself as I am"!! Baby steps, baby steps... Reading this thread should help

Mojogurl: Unfortunately, I don't have any advice for you... but I hope you find the answers that you are looking for. Nutrition and human metabolism are so complex! It seems like one advice contradicts another all the time... Keep us posted with your progress

BrendaLee

I just came across this thread and thought I could learn a few things from you.

I had some bloodwork done yesterday to well, try to determine why I'm having such a hard time losing weight.

The thyroid test came back normal.
The glucose came back "within normal range" - but possibly glucose "intolerant"... when you have diabetes, your glucose levels will be above 7 and normal range is under 6... my fasting range was 6.2, so above normal. She did one other test (A1C) which determines my glucose levels over the last 3 months and it was 57%, anything above 60% is not normal. So I'm in the higher range, but not considered diabetic.

So, my doctor has no answers for me, I see an endo next week and we will see what he can do for me - but right now all she can recommend is I stay away from refined sugars because she just sees it as being glucose intolerant. Funny thing is I rarely eat refined sugars.

Maybe the endo can fine tune it for me, but then next step is looking at my nutrition.
So that is my next question - since I don't normally eat sweets (I'm a salt & meat/cheese craver) - should I consider giving up fruits and just eat vegs? Mediterranean diet? I'm really pretty lost!

Hi Mojo. What's your carb situation- refined or whole grain? Simple carbs like white bread, white pasta, white rice act the same as sugar in the body.

Marla64

I just came across this thread and thought I could learn a few things from you.

I had some bloodwork done yesterday to well, try to determine why I'm having such a hard time losing weight.

The thyroid test came back normal.
The glucose came back "within normal range" - but possibly glucose "intolerant"... when you have diabetes, your glucose levels will be above 7 and normal range is under 6... my fasting range was 6.2, so above normal. She did one other test (A1C) which determines my glucose levels over the last 3 months and it was 57%, anything above 60% is not normal. So I'm in the higher range, but not considered diabetic.

So, my doctor has no answers for me, I see an endo next week and we will see what he can do for me - but right now all she can recommend is I stay away from refined sugars because she just sees it as being glucose intolerant. Funny thing is I rarely eat refined sugars.

Maybe the endo can fine tune it for me, but then next step is looking at my nutrition.
So that is my next question - since I don't normally eat sweets (I'm a salt & meat/cheese craver) - should I consider giving up fruits and just eat vegs? Mediterranean diet? I'm really pretty lost!

Wait a minute-- your doctor has no recommendations other than to avoid refined sugar? Your doctor doesn't know that ALL CARBS affect diabetics-- potatoes, corn, apples, bananas-- hell, even milk has carbs.

I have a diabetic daughter-- type 1-- and just from what I've learned from taking care of her the past 7 years, watch your fruits, fruit juices, pastas, rice, breads-- all these turn into sugar in your body and will raise your blood glucose.

Raphi

I like your signature "snap out of it" :laugh:

XFitMojoMom

Brenda, Marla -

I have an appointment with an endocrinologist next week for further testing, then if he cannot find anything through his tests, we will see the nutritionist again.
but normally - no refined grains get consumed. For the most part (other than the rare sushi night) it's always brown/wild rice - whole wheat couscous, barley - and when we do have pasta, I buy the flax seed pasta or spelt.
I rarely drink juice, but lately I've been craving Orange Juice and been drinking it right out of the carton. I do not drink milk, but put a dollop of steamed "froth" in my espresso.
I'm sad about potatoes - I just recently discovered baked potatoes as a meal. boo:brokenheart:
I don't drink soda either - once a month, a coke zero, if even?

Admittedly, my downfall is wine. Maybe I should take up hot baths instead :laugh:

cmriverside

Brenda, Marla -

Admittedly, my downfall is wine. Maybe I should take up hot baths instead :laugh:

Look - from :
http://www.weightandwellness.com/id40.html
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The sweet side of alcoholism

If you have traded an alcohol addiction (sugar) for a sweet roll addiction (sugar), you have gained little more than a lessened risk for a DWI. Biochemically sugar and alcohol are the same thing. When you take in large amounts of sugar it sends your blood sugar high and releases a feel good neurotransmitter called serotonin. The alcohol and the sweet roll both send your blood sugar high but the alcohol is able to spike your blood sugar twice as quickly. So if you have stopped taking in alcohol and replaced it with high sugar eating you are setting your self up for a relapse.

If you are ready to put an end to this cycle you need to be eating balanced meals every two hours and taking some amino acids to help rebuild and heal your brain chemistry. Balanced meals should consist of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. For healthy protein, eat chicken, fish beef, cheese, and steak; for fat- butter, olive oil, raw nuts, cream cheese; for carbs-fruits and lots of veggies.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(You didn't see me here)

Marla64

who was that masked man?

cmriverside

tamarads

I'm not sure, but I'm happy to see her...

lotusfromthemud

a verified sighting of the rare and elusive (and super smart and cool) sugar-free lady ninja!

So, I've fallen off the wagon a bit as I've resorted to popscicles to soothe my incredibly sore throat. I promise to get right back on the bandwagon when this illness clears up. For now, my throat needs the numbing and my non-existent appetite needs the calories. I may be MIA in the meantime, or lurking. I'm considering lady ninja training from the master.

BrendaLee

Brenda, Marla -

Admittedly, my downfall is wine. Maybe I should take up hot baths instead :laugh:

Look - from :
http://www.weightandwellness.com/id40.html
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The sweet side of alcoholism

If you have traded an alcohol addiction (sugar) for a sweet roll addiction (sugar), you have gained little more than a lessened risk for a DWI. Biochemically sugar and alcohol are the same thing. When you take in large amounts of sugar it sends your blood sugar high and releases a feel good neurotransmitter called serotonin. The alcohol and the sweet roll both send your blood sugar high but the alcohol is able to spike your blood sugar twice as quickly. So if you have stopped taking in alcohol and replaced it with high sugar eating you are setting your self up for a relapse.

If you are ready to put an end to this cycle you need to be eating balanced meals every two hours and taking some amino acids to help rebuild and heal your brain chemistry. Balanced meals should consist of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. For healthy protein, eat chicken, fish beef, cheese, and steak; for fat- butter, olive oil, raw nuts, cream cheese; for carbs-fruits and lots of veggies.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(You didn't see me here)

LOOK, you come back, and everyone posts! If that's not proof you're needed, I don't know what is.

cmriverside

Thanks, Brenda. I think you all do fine with or without me. If I could do without the extra sharp (white) cheddar cheese - now that would be helpful.

I'm still not eating things, though I did have three cocktails and a Coke in the past ten days.

The end.

Hang tough, ya'll.



don't lay chocolate eggs.

cmriverside

um. ^^ Still not eating sweet [/img] things.

...........................


obviously I'm eating things..........

Marla64

Well, I gotta tell ya, Cheryl, I felt so bad reading your swan song because I'd started this whole "no sweets until" stuff. Did I open up this encouragment thread just to make it harder for all of us?

Personally, I lost 40 pounds eating all foods in moderation. I ate 1200-1400 calories of the same crap I fed my family. Peanut butter and jelly on white bread, cereal, pastas.....and the occasional sweet, logged and documented.

Self control is self control to me. Why, oh why did I start feeling and believing otherwise? Controlling myself to have a small portion of the thing I occasionally want and LOGGING it, and then stopping the eating when the calories are done for the day led to 40 pounds less of me.

So, why and when did I start to freak out? Yeah, I may have less "belly flab," but...eh....I'm not gonna sweat it. I don't have a steady diet of it. I don't eat it every day.

I'm chillin' out on this and going back to what worked for me....

BrendaLee

I had to face my demon head on, and I'm glad this thread forced me to do it, so don't think it was all bad! I learned a BIG lesson from participating here. :flowerforyou:

cmriverside

Yeah, I really don't totally understand Marla's post......I just had to bow out - for ME.

Each to his/her own.

Not because of how other people deal with the issue. I do better with total abstinance from sugar. Apparently some people can do it another way.


rats, edit......................................................................

Marla64

my only point, dear Cheryl, was that by starting the abstinence thread maybe put too much emphasis on it.

Like, for example, "QUICK, don't think of a pink elephant."

you know? As soon as you're challenged to NOT do something, you want it. (there's a scriptural reference too that's very much the same theme, but I'll refrain)

And then wondering why I worried about abstaining from sugar in the first place, when I was doing just fine with it in moderation for over a year. I guess the plateau that I've been on freaks me, so I think of trying new things.

But, my bottom line was feeling guilty that I made things harder for you in the long run by beginning the thread of "encouragement."

Did I make any better sense? (not a great day over here)

72lori

my only point, dear Cheryl, was that by starting the abstinence thread maybe put too much emphasis on it.

Like, for example, "QUICK, don't think of a pink elephant."

you know? As soon as you're challenged to NOT do something, you want it. (there's a scriptural reference too that's very much the same theme, but I'll refrain)

And then wondering why I worried about abstaining from sugar in the first place, when I was doing just fine with it in moderation for over a year. I guess the plateau that I've been on freaks me, so I think of trying new things.

But, my bottom line was feeling guilty that I made things harder for you in the long run by beginning the thread of "encouragement."

Did I make any better sense? (not a great day over here)

I follow you and after Cheryl's post I started to think the same thing and rethink how I had been thinking about sugar. Sugar was never really a huge issue... til I made it one. Sure I like sugar, always have, but when I really watch and follow a good diet, added sugar's are not part of it for the most part. The more I tried to stay away, the more I wanted it.

Moderation is the key to success in many ways. Moderation can be defined differently. For some it means one little thing each day, for others it means a weekly treat, for others moderation is once a month or less.

I am not stressing the sugar, I'm focusing on eating well, exercising and being happy.

Right now, there is a pic of a girl in a sports bra to the right, it says Become a Personal Trainer. Dude, I want those abs.

Marla64

the only thing to my right is a sneaker.

I like my sneaker.

dewdrop

From what I understood back in December, this is not necessarily about going cold turkey on sugar, but rather making your own rules and being accountable. For instance, I was still eating jelly (but the jar lasted the whole month). However, I would not have chocolate or deserts. There were people here still sipping on their cocoa milk and finding that OK. So, Marla, accountability! :flowerforyou: Others would stay away from sugar alltogether.

This being said, I dunno how to regard this morning when the only cereals I could have were the chocolate ones. :ohwell:

Marla, hope your day improves and that the weekend has the nicest things in store for you.

cmriverside

.....and I just don't want to come to a "Sugar is not your friend" thread and read about everyone's fall off the wagon. I'd rather have nothing said than hear descriptions of all the tasty little (and not so little) treats you are eating.

I wanted to find ways to not eat the stuff. Good substitutions, diversions, etc. Ways of avoidance....not in-depth descriptions of cakes and ice cream cones and candy. Venting is one thing - constant discussion about food is another. I'd like to see solutions to problems, not re-hashing our inability to get a grip. Because I think we CAN get a grip on this. But only through setting a good example and not looking for validation of our mistakes. That is what they are unless you plan to eat something. The "I can't control myself" complaint falls on deaf ears with me after a while. I think we CAN control ourselves.

Marla and Lori both think moderation is possible. This may be a revelation you just had in the past week....it kind of sounded that way here today. Which is a good thing. Planned moderation. I don't think it's helpful to people to hear that we can't control ourselves. The wrong message gets in our head.

And you never know how much what you say may influence someone. (Thank you Jeannie!)

I think progress was made here today. Both Marla and Lori made good points. And moderation can mean one small thing a day, or one a week or one a month, depending on your personal choice. Those of you who (I don't know how...lots of exercise?) have room in your daily calories and feel you have to have sugar - I still think it is a bad plan - but, that's just me. I personally don't have the need to hear about what you ate, sweet-wise. I don't check peoples' food diaries either. It doesn't help me in my journey.

There was never an intent for this to be a "Confession - guess what I ate?" thread. At least, I didn't think that was what it was to be. But, since I have no control over what people want to talk about, all I can do is stop participating. The month is almost over: onward to March!

__________________________________________________

lotusfromthemud

.....and I just don't want to come to a "Sugar is not your friend" thread and read about everyone's fall off the wagon. I'd rather have nothing said than hear descriptions of all the tasty little (and not so little) treats you are eating.

I wanted to find ways to not eat the stuff. Good substitutions, diversions, etc. Ways of avoidance....not in-depth descriptions of cakes and ice cream cones and candy. Venting is one thing - constant discussion about food is another. I'd like to see solutions to problems, not re-hashing our inability to get a grip. Because I think we CAN get a grip on this. But only through setting a good example and not looking for validation of our mistakes. That is what they are unless you plan to eat something. The "I can't control myself" complaint falls on deaf ears with me after a while. I think we CAN control ourselves.






__________________________________________________

I have to second this. For me, sweets are a trigger food. And, when I hear vivid descriptions of sweets, it makes me want sweets. So, it's been hard for me to read all the posts. On the one hand, I want to support everyone in making good choices for themselves, and kick their booty a little when they don't make such good choices. And, I'd hope I'd get the same support and booty kicking.

But, I really hate the "I have no power over this" talk, too. Sugar can behave like a very powerful drug, and I recognize that it is powerful, but my power of choice is more powerful, I assure you.

Now, that being said, I think confession equals accountability. I know that when I've slipped, I've told this thread. I feel that's an important part for me. I admit that I'm guilty of using this thread as a forum to fantasize about what I want sweets wise. I'd like to stop that, and focus instead on accountability and positivity. I'm a junkie when it comes to sugar, plain and simple. I use it as a drug. Extreme moderation to the point of abstinence is necessary for me. Once or twice a month I can indulge, as long as it's a choice, it's portion controlled and part of an experience. (dinner out with friends, etc.) I want to get to the point where a (very rarely indulged in) piece of cake can be just a piece of cake, without baggage and not as a coping skill. That's how I'm making peace with it right now. My big goal is to quit bingeing on sugar alone in my apartment, going to several stores to lay in my supplies because I'm too embarrassed to buy it all at once. (this is something that in my bigger days, I used to be guilty of all the time...nearly daily, and had a few backslides last fall/winter, which is why I sought out the thread).

What I've recognized is that a small slip can trigger a big slip, and cravings for sweets should send out alarm bells in my brain saying "Attention. You are really, really stressed about something right now, and are probably not even aware of what it is!"

To try to add something constructive, lately I've been brainstorming "sugar free substitutions". (not artificial sweeteners, but actual sugar free self-spoiling a la Cheryl's chocolate pearl ring) You all know about my nail polish problem. When I crave something bad for me (which for me is usually sweets) I do two things: I ask myself "what am I upset/stressed about?" and then "what would be another, non-food way to spoil myself?"

I hope the thread continues into March, but would really like to focus on the positive as much as we possibly can. I really appreciate this open discussion, and the support I've received from the thread.

:flowerforyou:

BrendaLee

This thread did start out as a "no sugar" thread- hence the challenge, and hence the scores. I can have NO sugar, and I don't plan on attempting moderation any time soon. I know that, for me, the moderation defense is a cop-out- it's my way of allowing sweets back into my life. I don't want to be a slave to sugar.

I haven't given up all sugar. I still have my fruit, my low-sugar cereal, a little sugar here and there, but I can't allow myself dessert or sweet junk, because I will, guaranteed, lose control.

If I'm not addicted to it, I'll allow myself to have it. That's the only form of moderation I can handle.

cmriverside

Nail polish is not a problem. Unless it's green. :gaak: And even green is okay in March!!


Bren! Love the hair! Congrats on Day 13!!!!

lotusfromthemud

Nail polish is not a problem. Unless it's green. :gaak: And even green is okay in March!!


Bren! Love the hair! Congrats on Day 13!!!!

I actually got a green manicure last time (OPI has a new colour called "Jade is the new black"). It got ugly really fast. PS...I own over fifty bottles of nail polish...is that a problem?:embarassed:

Seconded on the hair, Brenda. Cute!

BrendaLee

I wish I could wear nailpolish. :sad: For some odd reason it destroys my nails. I wear it once, and it takes 2-3 months for my nails to recover. They won't grow either, the little buggers.

Marla64

Me thinks I may be fooling myself about the moderation. It crescendoes, until it overtakes me.

I'm back into no sugar mode today, my friends.

cmriverside

I think it would be much harder to do this if I lived in a house with children and/or someone else who continued to eat lots of sugar. I think that is just one of the advantages to living alone. But you can get a handle on it. Maybe give yourself "weekend" privileges? Is that your hardest time?

((hug))