Cutting out Sugar and Sweets Need Help
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To try stop the comment cycle and because it seems to be bothering you, I have reactive hypoglycemia.
If you're not familiar, my pancreas overreacts to all carbs that enter my body. I eat carbs, produce too much insulin, my sugar drops, and I feel like crap. Oh, when I exercise (or simply move around too much), I also produce too much insulin. It's been this way for 12 years now. Within the 12 years, various things have helped but only when I lowered my carbs dramatically (and went 5% carbs..but please don't make this about keto) did the need for frequent meals and stopping in the middle of a workout to eat stop. I was also able to forego the acarbose, a prescription carb blocker, I had been taking.
Reactive hypoglycemia also causes a bad psychological relationship with carbs in addition to the bad physical relationship. If I eat sweets..or other high carb foods, my sugar drops and I feel awful. If I eat more sweets, I feel immediately better. I mean, the change is immediate..food down my throat immediate. When your sugar is low all the time you feel you need to eat sugar all the time. The cravings are ridiculous and are only reinforced by the fact that eating does make you feel better.
I also can't drink alcohol either..because i can't..not because I think I'll binge.
I assume OP doesn't have rh. Most people with it give that information initially when asking questions about sugar or exercise. Plus, there aren't that many of us.
I ate one sour patch kid yesterday. That's the kind of moderation I have to stick to..which, in my opinion, it's better to do without.
Why do my circumstances matter to you so much? Why was it important that I share that personal information with someone I don't know on command?
I found your need to get to the root of my problems with sugar rude. Maybe if someone says they know they have to cut out sweets means just that: they know they can't have them.0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »OP: you may find that after you recalibrate (by taking a couple of weeks of no sweets), you can easily control your sweet tooth. If that's you, awesome! All the better.
Also, I find that if my "sweet treat" is a small piece of dark dark chocolate (like 1/3 of a candy bar) I don't feel the need to eat more. It hits the spot perfectly.
Good luck finding what works for you, and ignore the folks who demand that you MUST eat junk food and sweets (it's a rather odd form of pressure, that in the real world would definitely be deemed socially unacceptable, but for some reason is A-OK on this "fitness" website).
LOL and the restrict whole food group makes sense too …
If OP is already losing weight eating sugar then what is the point of cutting it out?
I always enjoy your posts in the cut out sugar threads.
Maybe she would find it easier to stay within her calorie goals without them?0 -
Anyone else find it amusing that the posters who routinely get on people for "ganging up" on others have begun doing the exact same thing?
In any event, weight loss became much better for me when I realized I didn't have to be miserable. I suggest finding a plan that won't make you miserable and going with it. If it includes sweets, great. If it doesn't, great. Just try to avoid misery.0 -
If the op wants to cut sweets out and thinks it will create a sustainable lifestyle for her, then she should. If she doesn't think she will be able to sustain cutting them out, she should work on moderation. Either way, all that matters for weight loss (sans a medical condition) is a calorie deficit and a sustainable way of eating.
I agree, it is up to the individual person to do what is sustainable for them.
I also saw where you said you can't eat sweets but would if you could eat them in moderation. Yep, I've been there too, for years. In fact, for years I avoided sweets because I could not control myself around them. These last few years I decided nothing was off limits except foods I don't like and have intolerance too, and it changed my life. I realize I always have a choice as to what foods and how much I will eat.
In fact, the only power food has over me is the power I give it.
I am not perfect at eating sweets in moderation (like just having one cookie) all the time, but I am 90% of the time whereas before I was not 100% of the time. I've lost 44 pounds and I've been maintaining for about a year, so clearly whatever I'm doing is working for me.
The other side of this coin is that I don't allow myself to reach for snacks in a few certain situations--the office is one place. They have snacks out all the time, good ones too: candies, cakes, cookies, etc. One of my big problems I am working on is stress eating, and there are plenty of good foods there to help my stress along. So, at work I eat what I bring except for an occasional treat (such as the Godiva candy brought in by a vendor as a gift. I looked up the nutrition information, logged it, and ate it. But, that's rare.
Really, you are so right that everyone has to find what works for them. However, I believe that the point of people's comments in thees sugar threads is that so many people see sugar as a demon, as the cause of their weight gain. Sugar in and of itself does not cause weight gain, and too much of it does not cause weight gain, but it is the overindulgence of food that does that.
I want to encourage you, and any other person who would love to eat sweets in moderation, that it is possible. The best of luck to you.
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blktngldhrt wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »OP: you may find that after you recalibrate (by taking a couple of weeks of no sweets), you can easily control your sweet tooth. If that's you, awesome! All the better.
Also, I find that if my "sweet treat" is a small piece of dark dark chocolate (like 1/3 of a candy bar) I don't feel the need to eat more. It hits the spot perfectly.
Good luck finding what works for you, and ignore the folks who demand that you MUST eat junk food and sweets (it's a rather odd form of pressure, that in the real world would definitely be deemed socially unacceptable, but for some reason is A-OK on this "fitness" website).
LOL and the restrict whole food group makes sense too …
If OP is already losing weight eating sugar then what is the point of cutting it out?
I always enjoy your posts in the cut out sugar threads.
Maybe she would find it easier to stay within her calorie goals without them?
I don't think she ever came back …
she never mentioned that she stopped losing…..
if she is eating sugar and still losing, then I do not see why she can't just keep doing what she is doing, as it seems to be working...0 -
Anyone else find it amusing that the posters who routinely get on people for "ganging up" on others have begun doing the exact same thing?
In any event, weight loss became much better for me when I realized I didn't have to be miserable. I suggest finding a plan that won't make you miserable and going with it. If it includes sweets, great. If it doesn't, great. Just try to avoid misery.
I don't think there's ganging up going on..just exchanges between people who agree and disagree.
Why can't there be a debate of different views without the phrase gang up and the eventual use of the word bully being thrown around.0 -
blktngldhrt wrote: »blktngldhrt wrote: »blktngldhrt wrote: »blktngldhrt wrote: »blktngldhrt wrote: »blktngldhrt wrote: »Honestly I would not cut them out, just factor them into your calorie allotment for the day.
Yep. I always try to make room for some ice cream in my calories.
Third. Unless there are medical reasons for cutting out sweets (diabetes namely) then there is no reason to not eat them. Know your goals, log what you are interested in eating, and if it fits your goals then eat it. If it doesn't then change the serving until it does, or just eat it tomorrow.
If I didn't HAVE to give up sweets, I wouldn't have.
But why you you believe you have to give them up? Is the reason due to a medical condition? Or do you just think that eating sweets = gain weight/not lose weight? Is this OP's reasoning as well?
Because sweets don't cause or hinder weight loss; caloric surplus hinders weight loss, and caloric deficit causes weight loss. I've been eating sweets since before I started losing weight, I binged on sweets frequently too. Chocolate was my vice. Now? I know my caloric goals and I have no problem logging x amount of chocolate and just eating that. I ate chocolat etonight and sure, I'd be down for eating more, but I have no problem with not eating more of it because I know it doesn't fit my goals for today.
So again, unless there are medical reasons, there is no 'have to' for cutting out any foods. I don't eat gluten, but this is because if I do eat it I have very bad digestive symptoms. So for me it's a "have to" situation. But eating the GF alternatives doesn't cause issues, so I eat those. Any food can be worked into one's diet and caloric goals if the person enjoys the food. I have had the "i can't eat this because I'll get fat" mindset, didn't work. Also had the "I can just exercise this off" mindset. That was back when I thought exercise = weight loss, though.
I can't eat sweets. I would eat them, in moderation, if I could.
But WHY do you think you cannot eat sweets? Is it because you have a medical condition? Or is it because you simply don't think that you can eat them within your caloric needs? If you are successfully able to eat every other type of food within your caloric goals then there is no real reason that you cannot try eating sweets within your goals. I went from eating 3-4 boxes of chocolate in a sitting to eating a few pieces, and the only difference is that I now actually understand my caloric goals and I don't put limits on anything (i.e. I don't say "I can only eat chips on special occasions/once a month/etc"). Where I once used to hate myself and feel guilty for eating chocolate because I would binge on it, I now can log two pieces without blinking an eye and just... eat it. I just enjoy food now. So there is no "can't" with food unless there are medical reasons behind this reasoning. It's really just about developing a healthy relationship with food, which will ideally enable you to enjoy food in moderation without resorting to binging.
I know I can't..which is why I stated that I had to stop eating sweets. I know the difference between have to and choose to.
I guess I needed to say "this" or "I agree" with the post I had quoted before posting the comment that lead to you questioning my reasons for knowing (not thinking..) I'm not able to do something.
How do you know you can't though? You so far haven't given any reasons, which leads me to believe that it's more that you FEAR you can't eat sweets in moderation. Do you feel guilty when you eat sweets? Do you feel bad about yourself? I've been there. I felt ashamed because I almost always binged. I'd tell myself "just one piece" and then that turned into "just one bar" and then within the span of an hour I'd consumed 3-4 large chocolate bars. Or on saturdays, I work in retail and I used to buy an armful of chocoalte and eat it all on my shift. I wasn't even hungry. It was a combo of binging and a bad relationship with food that made me feel like *kitten* about myself. Once I got rid of the bad relationship with food and simply realized that no food will stop or prevent weight loss, I had no trouble working sweets into my daily caloric intake goals. If I don't have room for a whole candy bar, I will log and eat half. Or I'll have a small piece instead of the actual amount i'd like and I'll still be satisfied.
Why do I need to give you a reason? Why can't you take my comments about knowing I have to cut sweets and leave them be? I'm not the one asking for advice on the subject. I didn't say I needed help deciding. I said I know I can't have them.
And no, I don't fear sugar.
Providing a reason would make it a lot easier to provide advice. It'd be like.. if I went to a psychologist and she asked me why I felt depressed and I just said "I just feel depressed because I do" and refused to tell her why, it'd be very hard to help me out.
Also discussing the reasons why you believe you cannot eat sweets and having others comment on how you might be able to reverse your beliefs so you can enjoy sweets would likely be helpful for any other lurkers who stumble across this, also saying "I can't eat sweets" and then see "hey, her reasons are just like mine, but now I'm seeing others provide ideas about how she might be able to successfully practice moderation" and then that might give others hope in learning how to eat foods they enjoy eating and still lose weight.
You responded to my original post saying that you had to cut out sweets. OP seems to think she needs to cut out sweets as well, so if you were to discuss why you feel the need to cut out sweets (is it for weight loss purposes? Because you have a bad relationship with food?) then it might help OP make better dietary decisions.
I never asked for advice. I'm not wasting anymore of the thread going on and on about this with you. My reasons are valid. I have an understanding for how this whole food thing works.
Most people with depression don't have a reason...so that's a bad comparison.
If the op wants to cut sweets out and thinks it will create a sustainable lifestyle for her, then she should. If she doesn't think she will be able to sustain cutting them out, she should work on moderation. Either way, all that matters for weight loss (sans a medical condition) is a calorie deficit and a sustainable way of eating.
I have suffered from depression since I was in elementary school, and there generally are reasons for being depressed. One doesn't just wake up depressed for no reason. Of course, there are many different causes of depression (mine are genetic and chemical, as well as stemming from general anxiety, PTSD as of 2.5 years ago, experiences with rejection... loneliness and extreme anxiety/stress can pretty much instantly trigger an episodic bout for me), much like there are different causes behind someone thinking they can't eat x food.
I guess if you didn't want to discuss why, you shouldn't have responded to a public forum in which people generally try and get people to be as honest and informative as possible in order to provide the best advice/help as possible, or you should not have replied to and quoted my pro-moderation/sugar post.
ETA: my above "fear" comment related to fear of not being able to successfully practice moderation, not fear of sugar. So do you fear that you cannot practice moderation? Is this something you've tried? And more importantly, do you have a healthy relationship with food? This could be a reason as to why you feel you cannot eat sweets successfully while moderating your intake.
Why was this flagged? Is being mildly annoying flag worthy?
There are just some people who are abusing the flag option because they don't like answers. I wouldn't worry too much about it. 0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »OP: you may find that after you recalibrate (by taking a couple of weeks of no sweets), you can easily control your sweet tooth. If that's you, awesome! All the better.
Also, I find that if my "sweet treat" is a small piece of dark dark chocolate (like 1/3 of a candy bar) I don't feel the need to eat more. It hits the spot perfectly.
Good luck finding what works for you, and ignore the folks who demand that you MUST eat junk food and sweets (it's a rather odd form of pressure, that in the real world would definitely be deemed socially unacceptable, but for some reason is A-OK on this "fitness" website).
LOL and the restrict whole food group makes sense too …
If OP is already losing weight eating sugar then what is the point of cutting it out?
Well, captain, she wants to reduce her intake of sweets. It's not a dangerous, unhealthy thing to do, so I offered her my thoughts on it. As did you.
ps: "sweets" isn't really a "food group".
when did I say sweets is a food group????
not reading again I see…
did you lose your reading glasses?
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blktngldhrt wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »OP: you may find that after you recalibrate (by taking a couple of weeks of no sweets), you can easily control your sweet tooth. If that's you, awesome! All the better.
Also, I find that if my "sweet treat" is a small piece of dark dark chocolate (like 1/3 of a candy bar) I don't feel the need to eat more. It hits the spot perfectly.
Good luck finding what works for you, and ignore the folks who demand that you MUST eat junk food and sweets (it's a rather odd form of pressure, that in the real world would definitely be deemed socially unacceptable, but for some reason is A-OK on this "fitness" website).
LOL and the restrict whole food group makes sense too …
If OP is already losing weight eating sugar then what is the point of cutting it out?
I always enjoy your posts in the cut out sugar threads.
Maybe she would find it easier to stay within her calorie goals without them?
I don't think she ever came back …
she never mentioned that she stopped losing…..
if she is eating sugar and still losing, then I do not see why she can't just keep doing what she is doing, as it seems to be working...
I never said you were incorrect. I just offered a potential reason to cut sweets.0 -
Lourdesong wrote: »I've lost 64lbs in 6 months practicing moderation. Eating less, moving more.
Boring, I know. Not as exciting or sexy as losing 64 lbs by casting out the evil sugar demon from my life.
How is this flagged? You people need to stop. Haha0 -
blktngldhrt wrote: »Lourdesong wrote: »blktngldhrt wrote: »blktngldhrt wrote: »blktngldhrt wrote: »blktngldhrt wrote: »blktngldhrt wrote: »blktngldhrt wrote: »Honestly I would not cut them out, just factor them into your calorie allotment for the day.
Yep. I always try to make room for some ice cream in my calories.
Third. Unless there are medical reasons for cutting out sweets (diabetes namely) then there is no reason to not eat them. Know your goals, log what you are interested in eating, and if it fits your goals then eat it. If it doesn't then change the serving until it does, or just eat it tomorrow.
If I didn't HAVE to give up sweets, I wouldn't have.
But why you you believe you have to give them up? Is the reason due to a medical condition? Or do you just think that eating sweets = gain weight/not lose weight? Is this OP's reasoning as well?
Because sweets don't cause or hinder weight loss; caloric surplus hinders weight loss, and caloric deficit causes weight loss. I've been eating sweets since before I started losing weight, I binged on sweets frequently too. Chocolate was my vice. Now? I know my caloric goals and I have no problem logging x amount of chocolate and just eating that. I ate chocolat etonight and sure, I'd be down for eating more, but I have no problem with not eating more of it because I know it doesn't fit my goals for today.
So again, unless there are medical reasons, there is no 'have to' for cutting out any foods. I don't eat gluten, but this is because if I do eat it I have very bad digestive symptoms. So for me it's a "have to" situation. But eating the GF alternatives doesn't cause issues, so I eat those. Any food can be worked into one's diet and caloric goals if the person enjoys the food. I have had the "i can't eat this because I'll get fat" mindset, didn't work. Also had the "I can just exercise this off" mindset. That was back when I thought exercise = weight loss, though.
I can't eat sweets. I would eat them, in moderation, if I could.
But WHY do you think you cannot eat sweets? Is it because you have a medical condition? Or is it because you simply don't think that you can eat them within your caloric needs? If you are successfully able to eat every other type of food within your caloric goals then there is no real reason that you cannot try eating sweets within your goals. I went from eating 3-4 boxes of chocolate in a sitting to eating a few pieces, and the only difference is that I now actually understand my caloric goals and I don't put limits on anything (i.e. I don't say "I can only eat chips on special occasions/once a month/etc"). Where I once used to hate myself and feel guilty for eating chocolate because I would binge on it, I now can log two pieces without blinking an eye and just... eat it. I just enjoy food now. So there is no "can't" with food unless there are medical reasons behind this reasoning. It's really just about developing a healthy relationship with food, which will ideally enable you to enjoy food in moderation without resorting to binging.
I know I can't..which is why I stated that I had to stop eating sweets. I know the difference between have to and choose to.
I guess I needed to say "this" or "I agree" with the post I had quoted before posting the comment that lead to you questioning my reasons for knowing (not thinking..) I'm not able to do something.
How do you know you can't though? You so far haven't given any reasons, which leads me to believe that it's more that you FEAR you can't eat sweets in moderation. Do you feel guilty when you eat sweets? Do you feel bad about yourself? I've been there. I felt ashamed because I almost always binged. I'd tell myself "just one piece" and then that turned into "just one bar" and then within the span of an hour I'd consumed 3-4 large chocolate bars. Or on saturdays, I work in retail and I used to buy an armful of chocoalte and eat it all on my shift. I wasn't even hungry. It was a combo of binging and a bad relationship with food that made me feel like *kitten* about myself. Once I got rid of the bad relationship with food and simply realized that no food will stop or prevent weight loss, I had no trouble working sweets into my daily caloric intake goals. If I don't have room for a whole candy bar, I will log and eat half. Or I'll have a small piece instead of the actual amount i'd like and I'll still be satisfied.
Why do I need to give you a reason? Why can't you take my comments about knowing I have to cut sweets and leave them be? I'm not the one asking for advice on the subject. I didn't say I needed help deciding. I said I know I can't have them.
And no, I don't fear sugar.
Providing a reason would make it a lot easier to provide advice. It'd be like.. if I went to a psychologist and she asked me why I felt depressed and I just said "I just feel depressed because I do" and refused to tell her why, it'd be very hard to help me out.
Also discussing the reasons why you believe you cannot eat sweets and having others comment on how you might be able to reverse your beliefs so you can enjoy sweets would likely be helpful for any other lurkers who stumble across this, also saying "I can't eat sweets" and then see "hey, her reasons are just like mine, but now I'm seeing others provide ideas about how she might be able to successfully practice moderation" and then that might give others hope in learning how to eat foods they enjoy eating and still lose weight.
You responded to my original post saying that you had to cut out sweets. OP seems to think she needs to cut out sweets as well, so if you were to discuss why you feel the need to cut out sweets (is it for weight loss purposes? Because you have a bad relationship with food?) then it might help OP make better dietary decisions.
I never asked for advice. I'm not wasting anymore of the thread going on and on about this with you. My reasons are valid. I have an understanding for how this whole food thing works.
Most people with depression don't have a reason...so that's a bad comparison.
If the op wants to cut sweets out and thinks it will create a sustainable lifestyle for her, then she should. If she doesn't think she will be able to sustain cutting them out, she should work on moderation. Either way, all that matters for weight loss (sans a medical condition) is a calorie deficit and a sustainable way of eating.
I have suffered from depression since I was in elementary school, and there generally are reasons for being depressed. One doesn't just wake up depressed for no reason. Of course, there are many different causes of depression (mine are genetic and chemical, as well as stemming from general anxiety, PTSD as of 2.5 years ago, experiences with rejection... loneliness and extreme anxiety/stress can pretty much instantly trigger an episodic bout for me), much like there are different causes behind someone thinking they can't eat x food.
I guess if you didn't want to discuss why, you shouldn't have responded to a public forum in which people generally try and get people to be as honest and informative as possible in order to provide the best advice/help as possible, or you should not have replied to and quoted my pro-moderation/sugar post.
ETA: my above "fear" comment related to fear of not being able to successfully practice moderation, not fear of sugar. So do you fear that you cannot practice moderation? Is this something you've tried? And more importantly, do you have a healthy relationship with food? This could be a reason as to why you feel you cannot eat sweets successfully while moderating your intake.
Since the threads already off on a slight tangent I suppose I'll continue..
Thats the great thing about a public forum.. I can post whatever I want and not answer whatever I want as long as it's within the rules.
The funny part is..i never disagreed with your post. I stated that if I didn't HAVE to give up sweets I would not. Why it turned into you needing my reasoning..I will never know.
I highly doubt my reasons align with the OP. If she comes on and gives reason that I have experience with, I will be more than happy to share.
I suspect ana has been digging for more information from you because you essentially said you would eat sweets in moderation if it were up to you, if you had a choice in the matter... but it's apparently not up to you, you know you can't. Therefore, you don't. But if you could, then you would. Right? Or no?
It is not out of line whatsoever for ana or anyone else to wonder why, what reason do you have to not be able to do what you otherwise want to do? Is it psychological, medical? What? Why not elaborate on what you mean by "can't"?
You don't have to, of course. But it would be helpful.
Right. I know I can't. I've said that multiple times already. And as I've already stated, my reasons are probably not the OPs reasons. If she decides to answer with hers and they happen to be the same (which I doubt), I will provide help for her.
And what if her reasons are not the same as yours, but your reasons are the same as someone who lurks these threads or has somehow stumbled upon it? Unless your friends and family are lurking your posting habits, there is no reason to not provide more information when asked to clarify very vague statements. Being vague doesn't help anyone out. And if you (simply because you chose to respond to my comment directed to the OP, although if you had been OP I would be asking the same questions) were to provide more information, then perhaps others would be able to tell you ways that you can easily incorporate moderation of any food you desire, including sweets, and let go of the "i can't" mindset.0 -
I can only add to this that there are physiological reasons why one can't stop eating sugar or junk food. They can be addictive, especially to sensitive individuals, and override people's reasonable mind. Just because YOU can do whatever you want and be fine, GREAT for YOU! But that is YOU! You are not 100% of the world population and should not be poking, prodding, discouraging people from doing what they feel they need to do. I have no reasonable idea why so many people on MFP defend eating junk to the death because it is "moderation" when someone tries to do better for themselves. I will never understand all this bashing of others on a HEALTHY LIVING site! People have different opinions, and different things that work for them. I am sorry, but if you consult every medical, diet, chiropractic, nutritionist and any other medical professional in your area, not ONE will say "OH NO!! DON'T CUT BACK SUGAR!! That candy and donut provide valuable nutrients!!"
^^^Lies, lies I tell you!
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Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »OP: you may find that after you recalibrate (by taking a couple of weeks of no sweets), you can easily control your sweet tooth. If that's you, awesome! All the better.
Also, I find that if my "sweet treat" is a small piece of dark dark chocolate (like 1/3 of a candy bar) I don't feel the need to eat more. It hits the spot perfectly.
Good luck finding what works for you, and ignore the folks who demand that you MUST eat junk food and sweets (it's a rather odd form of pressure, that in the real world would definitely be deemed socially unacceptable, but for some reason is A-OK on this "fitness" website).
LOL and the restrict whole food group makes sense too …
If OP is already losing weight eating sugar then what is the point of cutting it out?
Well, captain, she wants to reduce her intake of sweets. It's not a dangerous, unhealthy thing to do, so I offered her my thoughts on it. As did you.
ps: "sweets" isn't really a "food group".
Yes, but WHY does she want to reduce the intake? Based on her OP, it seems that she wants to reduce the intake because she thinks that it's the only way she will successfully lose weight. She did not make any mention of other reasons for cutting down on sweets, such as headaches or nausea or constipation or cavities or whatever. Simply "I've lost 8lbs but I need to lose another 65, how can I cut back on sweets."
So it's very informative to let OP know that if she enjoys eating these things, and they have clearly not stopped her from losing weight, then she can still eat them exactly as she does now.0 -
blktngldhrt wrote: »Lourdesong wrote: »blktngldhrt wrote: »blktngldhrt wrote: »blktngldhrt wrote: »blktngldhrt wrote: »blktngldhrt wrote: »blktngldhrt wrote: »Honestly I would not cut them out, just factor them into your calorie allotment for the day.
Yep. I always try to make room for some ice cream in my calories.
Third. Unless there are medical reasons for cutting out sweets (diabetes namely) then there is no reason to not eat them. Know your goals, log what you are interested in eating, and if it fits your goals then eat it. If it doesn't then change the serving until it does, or just eat it tomorrow.
If I didn't HAVE to give up sweets, I wouldn't have.
But why you you believe you have to give them up? Is the reason due to a medical condition? Or do you just think that eating sweets = gain weight/not lose weight? Is this OP's reasoning as well?
Because sweets don't cause or hinder weight loss; caloric surplus hinders weight loss, and caloric deficit causes weight loss. I've been eating sweets since before I started losing weight, I binged on sweets frequently too. Chocolate was my vice. Now? I know my caloric goals and I have no problem logging x amount of chocolate and just eating that. I ate chocolat etonight and sure, I'd be down for eating more, but I have no problem with not eating more of it because I know it doesn't fit my goals for today.
So again, unless there are medical reasons, there is no 'have to' for cutting out any foods. I don't eat gluten, but this is because if I do eat it I have very bad digestive symptoms. So for me it's a "have to" situation. But eating the GF alternatives doesn't cause issues, so I eat those. Any food can be worked into one's diet and caloric goals if the person enjoys the food. I have had the "i can't eat this because I'll get fat" mindset, didn't work. Also had the "I can just exercise this off" mindset. That was back when I thought exercise = weight loss, though.
I can't eat sweets. I would eat them, in moderation, if I could.
But WHY do you think you cannot eat sweets? Is it because you have a medical condition? Or is it because you simply don't think that you can eat them within your caloric needs? If you are successfully able to eat every other type of food within your caloric goals then there is no real reason that you cannot try eating sweets within your goals. I went from eating 3-4 boxes of chocolate in a sitting to eating a few pieces, and the only difference is that I now actually understand my caloric goals and I don't put limits on anything (i.e. I don't say "I can only eat chips on special occasions/once a month/etc"). Where I once used to hate myself and feel guilty for eating chocolate because I would binge on it, I now can log two pieces without blinking an eye and just... eat it. I just enjoy food now. So there is no "can't" with food unless there are medical reasons behind this reasoning. It's really just about developing a healthy relationship with food, which will ideally enable you to enjoy food in moderation without resorting to binging.
I know I can't..which is why I stated that I had to stop eating sweets. I know the difference between have to and choose to.
I guess I needed to say "this" or "I agree" with the post I had quoted before posting the comment that lead to you questioning my reasons for knowing (not thinking..) I'm not able to do something.
How do you know you can't though? You so far haven't given any reasons, which leads me to believe that it's more that you FEAR you can't eat sweets in moderation. Do you feel guilty when you eat sweets? Do you feel bad about yourself? I've been there. I felt ashamed because I almost always binged. I'd tell myself "just one piece" and then that turned into "just one bar" and then within the span of an hour I'd consumed 3-4 large chocolate bars. Or on saturdays, I work in retail and I used to buy an armful of chocoalte and eat it all on my shift. I wasn't even hungry. It was a combo of binging and a bad relationship with food that made me feel like *kitten* about myself. Once I got rid of the bad relationship with food and simply realized that no food will stop or prevent weight loss, I had no trouble working sweets into my daily caloric intake goals. If I don't have room for a whole candy bar, I will log and eat half. Or I'll have a small piece instead of the actual amount i'd like and I'll still be satisfied.
Why do I need to give you a reason? Why can't you take my comments about knowing I have to cut sweets and leave them be? I'm not the one asking for advice on the subject. I didn't say I needed help deciding. I said I know I can't have them.
And no, I don't fear sugar.
Providing a reason would make it a lot easier to provide advice. It'd be like.. if I went to a psychologist and she asked me why I felt depressed and I just said "I just feel depressed because I do" and refused to tell her why, it'd be very hard to help me out.
Also discussing the reasons why you believe you cannot eat sweets and having others comment on how you might be able to reverse your beliefs so you can enjoy sweets would likely be helpful for any other lurkers who stumble across this, also saying "I can't eat sweets" and then see "hey, her reasons are just like mine, but now I'm seeing others provide ideas about how she might be able to successfully practice moderation" and then that might give others hope in learning how to eat foods they enjoy eating and still lose weight.
You responded to my original post saying that you had to cut out sweets. OP seems to think she needs to cut out sweets as well, so if you were to discuss why you feel the need to cut out sweets (is it for weight loss purposes? Because you have a bad relationship with food?) then it might help OP make better dietary decisions.
I never asked for advice. I'm not wasting anymore of the thread going on and on about this with you. My reasons are valid. I have an understanding for how this whole food thing works.
Most people with depression don't have a reason...so that's a bad comparison.
If the op wants to cut sweets out and thinks it will create a sustainable lifestyle for her, then she should. If she doesn't think she will be able to sustain cutting them out, she should work on moderation. Either way, all that matters for weight loss (sans a medical condition) is a calorie deficit and a sustainable way of eating.
I have suffered from depression since I was in elementary school, and there generally are reasons for being depressed. One doesn't just wake up depressed for no reason. Of course, there are many different causes of depression (mine are genetic and chemical, as well as stemming from general anxiety, PTSD as of 2.5 years ago, experiences with rejection... loneliness and extreme anxiety/stress can pretty much instantly trigger an episodic bout for me), much like there are different causes behind someone thinking they can't eat x food.
I guess if you didn't want to discuss why, you shouldn't have responded to a public forum in which people generally try and get people to be as honest and informative as possible in order to provide the best advice/help as possible, or you should not have replied to and quoted my pro-moderation/sugar post.
ETA: my above "fear" comment related to fear of not being able to successfully practice moderation, not fear of sugar. So do you fear that you cannot practice moderation? Is this something you've tried? And more importantly, do you have a healthy relationship with food? This could be a reason as to why you feel you cannot eat sweets successfully while moderating your intake.
Since the threads already off on a slight tangent I suppose I'll continue..
Thats the great thing about a public forum.. I can post whatever I want and not answer whatever I want as long as it's within the rules.
The funny part is..i never disagreed with your post. I stated that if I didn't HAVE to give up sweets I would not. Why it turned into you needing my reasoning..I will never know.
I highly doubt my reasons align with the OP. If she comes on and gives reason that I have experience with, I will be more than happy to share.
I suspect ana has been digging for more information from you because you essentially said you would eat sweets in moderation if it were up to you, if you had a choice in the matter... but it's apparently not up to you, you know you can't. Therefore, you don't. But if you could, then you would. Right? Or no?
It is not out of line whatsoever for ana or anyone else to wonder why, what reason do you have to not be able to do what you otherwise want to do? Is it psychological, medical? What? Why not elaborate on what you mean by "can't"?
You don't have to, of course. But it would be helpful.
Right. I know I can't. I've said that multiple times already. And as I've already stated, my reasons are probably not the OPs reasons. If she decides to answer with hers and they happen to be the same (which I doubt), I will provide help for her.
And what if her reasons are not the same as yours, but your reasons are the same as someone who lurks these threads or has somehow stumbled upon it? Unless your friends and family are lurking your posting habits, there is no reason to not provide more information when asked to clarify very vague statements. Being vague doesn't help anyone out. And if you (simply because you chose to respond to my comment directed to the OP, although if you had been OP I would be asking the same questions) were to provide more information, then perhaps others would be able to tell you ways that you can easily incorporate moderation of any food you desire, including sweets, and let go of the "i can't" mindset.
There was a reason for not posting. You were being pushy as fu** and I didn't want to tell you as a result.
Plus your assumption that I was potentially an idiot who needed help realizing moderation is the way to go made me want to withhold from you while you repeated the same stance over and over again..0 -
blktngldhrt wrote: »blktngldhrt wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »OP: you may find that after you recalibrate (by taking a couple of weeks of no sweets), you can easily control your sweet tooth. If that's you, awesome! All the better.
Also, I find that if my "sweet treat" is a small piece of dark dark chocolate (like 1/3 of a candy bar) I don't feel the need to eat more. It hits the spot perfectly.
Good luck finding what works for you, and ignore the folks who demand that you MUST eat junk food and sweets (it's a rather odd form of pressure, that in the real world would definitely be deemed socially unacceptable, but for some reason is A-OK on this "fitness" website).
LOL and the restrict whole food group makes sense too …
If OP is already losing weight eating sugar then what is the point of cutting it out?
I always enjoy your posts in the cut out sugar threads.
Maybe she would find it easier to stay within her calorie goals without them?
I don't think she ever came back …
she never mentioned that she stopped losing…..
if she is eating sugar and still losing, then I do not see why she can't just keep doing what she is doing, as it seems to be working...
I never said you were incorrect. I just offered a potential reason to cut sweets.
I know you said I was not incorrect..
I just offered a way to keep eating them ..
If you are losing weight what is the point of cutting anything?
Again, OP never came back so I guess we will never know.0 -
blktngldhrt wrote: »Anyone else find it amusing that the posters who routinely get on people for "ganging up" on others have begun doing the exact same thing?
In any event, weight loss became much better for me when I realized I didn't have to be miserable. I suggest finding a plan that won't make you miserable and going with it. If it includes sweets, great. If it doesn't, great. Just try to avoid misery.
I don't think there's ganging up going on..just exchanges between people who agree and disagree.
Why can't there be a debate of different views without the phrase gang up and the eventual use of the word bully being thrown around.
You'll hopefully note the use of quotation marks and the not use of the word "bully" in construction of my sentence because for my part, I rarely interpret posts that way. I just am finding it amusing that some posters who do are at least beginning to do the same to others and feel like pointing it out.
ETA: There's apparently a bingo card out there for some commonly occurring things that you might enjoy.
0 -
blktngldhrt wrote: »To try stop the comment cycle and because it seems to be bothering you, I have reactive hypoglycemia.
If you're not familiar, my pancreas overreacts to all carbs that enter my body. I eat carbs, produce too much insulin, my sugar drops, and I feel like crap. Oh, when I exercise (or simply move around too much), I also produce too much insulin. It's been this way for 12 years now. Within the 12 years, various things have helped but only when I lowered my carbs dramatically (and went 5% carbs..but please don't make this about keto) did the need for frequent meals and stopping in the middle of a workout to eat stop. I was also able to forego the acarbose, a prescription carb blocker, I had been taking.
Reactive hypoglycemia also causes a bad psychological relationship with carbs in addition to the bad physical relationship. If I eat sweets..or other high carb foods, my sugar drops and I feel awful. If I eat more sweets, I feel immediately better. I mean, the change is immediate..food down my throat immediate. When your sugar is low all the time you feel you need to eat sugar all the time. The cravings are ridiculous and are only reinforced by the fact that eating does make you feel better.
I also can't drink alcohol either..because i can't..not because I think I'll binge.
I assume OP doesn't have rh. Most people with it give that information initially when asking questions about sugar or exercise. Plus, there aren't that many of us.
I ate one sour patch kid yesterday. That's the kind of moderation I have to stick to..which, in my opinion, it's better to do without.
Why do my circumstances matter to you so much? Why was it important that I share that personal information with someone I don't know on command?
I found your need to get to the root of my problems with sugar rude. Maybe if someone says they know they have to cut out sweets means just that: they know they can't have them.
You could have prevented this entire exchange then by simply saying "I have hypoglycemia, so I have medical reasons that prevent me from eating as much sweets as I would like to."
To simply say "I know that I can't" doesn't allow anyone to infer how you know. They could assume that your knowledge is based on entirely psychological reasons and not at all on medical reasons.
And the importance of sharing information about one's experiences on a forum that is basically all about sharing experiences is so that others who have similar problems or similar experiences can a) find others they can connect with and share their stories with and garner support, b) so that people can better tailor their advice.
So again with my analogy of seeking advice from a therapist, if I go in and say "I have PTSD" then I will be provided one approach to treatment. If I go in and say "I have OCD" then treatment will be much different than the PTSD treatment. If I simply go in and say "I have problems" then how can someone provide me with tailored advice or help? So many people here will off the bat say whether there are medical issues occurring while they are trying to lose weight - diabetes, PCOS, weight loss surgery, depression, EDs, etc. Without providing this information, it's much harder to determine why they demonstrate a certain line of reasoning/thought process. Vague answers result in vague and ultimately broad interpretations.
0 -
I cut back on sugar since June of this year. I generally try for zero sugar but there will always be small amounts in most foods. It has made my taste buds more receptive to other flavors and honestly I wouldn't go back. If you want to cut sugar out I would look for alternatives. I am also on the keto diet and make "fat bombs" they are great and help with sweet cravings. Here is my favorite: http://imgur.com/a/rQ5jO Tastes just like cheesecake! The alternative sugars I commonly use are Erythitol and just bought some sucralose. I hear Swerve is also great! Find which ever best fits your tastebuds. To note alternative sugar is tastes really sweet to the tongue, make sure you mix it with something equally overpowering or you might not like it.
Since there seems to be a massive argument going on in this thread all I have to say is to each their own. OP asked for advice and while I am not a health professional this is what works for me so I am giving my advice.0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
+1 ana's posts are rather off putting, but perhaps she's still working through those food demons.
You don't.blktngldhrt wrote: »blktngldhrt wrote: »blktngldhrt wrote: »blktngldhrt wrote: »Honestly I would not cut them out, just factor them into your calorie allotment for the day.
Yep. I always try to make room for some ice cream in my calories.
Third. Unless there are medical reasons for cutting out sweets (diabetes namely) then there is no reason to not eat them. Know your goals, log what you are interested in eating, and if it fits your goals then eat it. If it doesn't then change the serving until it does, or just eat it tomorrow.
If I didn't HAVE to give up sweets, I wouldn't have.
But why you you believe you have to give them up? Is the reason due to a medical condition? Or do you just think that eating sweets = gain weight/not lose weight? Is this OP's reasoning as well?
Because sweets don't cause or hinder weight loss; caloric surplus hinders weight loss, and caloric deficit causes weight loss. I've been eating sweets since before I started losing weight, I binged on sweets frequently too. Chocolate was my vice. Now? I know my caloric goals and I have no problem logging x amount of chocolate and just eating that. I ate chocolat etonight and sure, I'd be down for eating more, but I have no problem with not eating more of it because I know it doesn't fit my goals for today.
So again, unless there are medical reasons, there is no 'have to' for cutting out any foods. I don't eat gluten, but this is because if I do eat it I have very bad digestive symptoms. So for me it's a "have to" situation. But eating the GF alternatives doesn't cause issues, so I eat those. Any food can be worked into one's diet and caloric goals if the person enjoys the food. I have had the "i can't eat this because I'll get fat" mindset, didn't work. Also had the "I can just exercise this off" mindset. That was back when I thought exercise = weight loss, though.
I can't eat sweets. I would eat them, in moderation, if I could.
But WHY do you think you cannot eat sweets? Is it because you have a medical condition? Or is it because you simply don't think that you can eat them within your caloric needs? If you are successfully able to eat every other type of food within your caloric goals then there is no real reason that you cannot try eating sweets within your goals. I went from eating 3-4 boxes of chocolate in a sitting to eating a few pieces, and the only difference is that I now actually understand my caloric goals and I don't put limits on anything (i.e. I don't say "I can only eat chips on special occasions/once a month/etc"). Where I once used to hate myself and feel guilty for eating chocolate because I would binge on it, I now can log two pieces without blinking an eye and just... eat it. I just enjoy food now. So there is no "can't" with food unless there are medical reasons behind this reasoning. It's really just about developing a healthy relationship with food, which will ideally enable you to enjoy food in moderation without resorting to binging.
I know I can't..which is why I stated that I had to stop eating sweets. I know the difference between have to and choose to.
I guess I needed to say "this" or "I agree" with the post I had quoted before posting the comment that lead to you questioning my reasons for knowing (not thinking..) I'm not able to do something.
How do you know you can't though? You so far haven't given any reasons, which leads me to believe that it's more that you FEAR you can't eat sweets in moderation. Do you feel guilty when you eat sweets? Do you feel bad about yourself? I've been there. I felt ashamed because I almost always binged. I'd tell myself "just one piece" and then that turned into "just one bar" and then within the span of an hour I'd consumed 3-4 large chocolate bars. Or on saturdays, I work in retail and I used to buy an armful of chocoalte and eat it all on my shift. I wasn't even hungry. It was a combo of binging and a bad relationship with food that made me feel like *kitten* about myself. Once I got rid of the bad relationship with food and simply realized that no food will stop or prevent weight loss, I had no trouble working sweets into my daily caloric intake goals. If I don't have room for a whole candy bar, I will log and eat half. Or I'll have a small piece instead of the actual amount i'd like and I'll still be satisfied.
Why do I need to give you a reason?
(perhaps she's a budding undergrad psych major lol)
I've tackled my food demons about 6 months ago actually. The only food demons I have now are when I have to decide whether I want to eat a donut or a muffin.
And to throw around attempted insulting remarks regarding my educational vocation is quite childish. Yes, I am graduating with my pscyhology and art history degree next term, and afterwards my plan is to embark on an occupational therapy graduate degree. Does my educational and job interest somehow make my advice, opinions, and presence lesser than someone with a mathematics degree? Would someone with a fine arts degree also be looked down on in the same manner? It is quite sad for someone to look down on others because of their education.-2 -
Stop the passive-aggressive insults.Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
+1 ana's posts are rather off putting, but perhaps she's still working through those food demons.
You don't.blktngldhrt wrote: »blktngldhrt wrote: »blktngldhrt wrote: »blktngldhrt wrote: »Honestly I would not cut them out, just factor them into your calorie allotment for the day.
Yep. I always try to make room for some ice cream in my calories.
Third. Unless there are medical reasons for cutting out sweets (diabetes namely) then there is no reason to not eat them. Know your goals, log what you are interested in eating, and if it fits your goals then eat it. If it doesn't then change the serving until it does, or just eat it tomorrow.
If I didn't HAVE to give up sweets, I wouldn't have.
But why you you believe you have to give them up? Is the reason due to a medical condition? Or do you just think that eating sweets = gain weight/not lose weight? Is this OP's reasoning as well?
Because sweets don't cause or hinder weight loss; caloric surplus hinders weight loss, and caloric deficit causes weight loss. I've been eating sweets since before I started losing weight, I binged on sweets frequently too. Chocolate was my vice. Now? I know my caloric goals and I have no problem logging x amount of chocolate and just eating that. I ate chocolat etonight and sure, I'd be down for eating more, but I have no problem with not eating more of it because I know it doesn't fit my goals for today.
So again, unless there are medical reasons, there is no 'have to' for cutting out any foods. I don't eat gluten, but this is because if I do eat it I have very bad digestive symptoms. So for me it's a "have to" situation. But eating the GF alternatives doesn't cause issues, so I eat those. Any food can be worked into one's diet and caloric goals if the person enjoys the food. I have had the "i can't eat this because I'll get fat" mindset, didn't work. Also had the "I can just exercise this off" mindset. That was back when I thought exercise = weight loss, though.
I can't eat sweets. I would eat them, in moderation, if I could.
But WHY do you think you cannot eat sweets? Is it because you have a medical condition? Or is it because you simply don't think that you can eat them within your caloric needs? If you are successfully able to eat every other type of food within your caloric goals then there is no real reason that you cannot try eating sweets within your goals. I went from eating 3-4 boxes of chocolate in a sitting to eating a few pieces, and the only difference is that I now actually understand my caloric goals and I don't put limits on anything (i.e. I don't say "I can only eat chips on special occasions/once a month/etc"). Where I once used to hate myself and feel guilty for eating chocolate because I would binge on it, I now can log two pieces without blinking an eye and just... eat it. I just enjoy food now. So there is no "can't" with food unless there are medical reasons behind this reasoning. It's really just about developing a healthy relationship with food, which will ideally enable you to enjoy food in moderation without resorting to binging.
I know I can't..which is why I stated that I had to stop eating sweets. I know the difference between have to and choose to.
I guess I needed to say "this" or "I agree" with the post I had quoted before posting the comment that lead to you questioning my reasons for knowing (not thinking..) I'm not able to do something.
How do you know you can't though? You so far haven't given any reasons, which leads me to believe that it's more that you FEAR you can't eat sweets in moderation. Do you feel guilty when you eat sweets? Do you feel bad about yourself? I've been there. I felt ashamed because I almost always binged. I'd tell myself "just one piece" and then that turned into "just one bar" and then within the span of an hour I'd consumed 3-4 large chocolate bars. Or on saturdays, I work in retail and I used to buy an armful of chocoalte and eat it all on my shift. I wasn't even hungry. It was a combo of binging and a bad relationship with food that made me feel like *kitten* about myself. Once I got rid of the bad relationship with food and simply realized that no food will stop or prevent weight loss, I had no trouble working sweets into my daily caloric intake goals. If I don't have room for a whole candy bar, I will log and eat half. Or I'll have a small piece instead of the actual amount i'd like and I'll still be satisfied.
Why do I need to give you a reason?
(perhaps she's a budding undergrad psych major lol)
I've tackled my food demons about 6 months ago actually. The only food demons I have now are when I have to decide whether I want to eat a donut or a muffin.
And to throw around attempted insulting remarks regarding my educational vocation is quite childish. Yes, I am graduating with my pscyhology and art history degree next term, and afterwards my plan is to embark on an occupational therapy graduate degree. Does my educational and job interest somehow make my advice, opinions, and presence lesser than someone with a mathematics degree? Would someone with a fine arts degree also be looked down on in the same manner? It is quite sad for someone to look down on others because of their education.
Stop the outright name-calling.
Stop telling people how to post.
Stop insisting that everyone diet according to your rules.
Stop telling people how to source posts.
Stop demanding that people answer whatever question you ask or get off the boards. (Honestly, who do you think you are, telling people they shouldn't be posting here?)-2
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