How sugar affects me

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FitnessTim
FitnessTim Posts: 234 Member
in Food and Nutrition
For the past few weeks I have been restricting my intake of sugar. I am not just talking about "added sugar" but sugar in general. While there may be differences in sugars (fructose, glucose, etc) it is more practical for me to treat them as the same.

Yesterday I was out with my family and in the spirit of having a good time I had suggested we get some Cinnamon Delights from Taco Bell. If you haven't tried them, don't - they're are delicious. It was an experiment to test the theory that all calories are basically equal.

With my first taste of sugary treat, my ability to control my eating diminished. I ended up eating 10 of them when I had only planned on eat 2 or 3. They are small but loaded with sugar and fat.

Soon after, I felt my energy and motivation to move dropped. I felt terrible and had trouble focusing. I believe it was the sharp contrast to a low sugar diet I was noticing. When I consumed sugar on a regular basis I probably felt that way all the time and thought it was normal.

Some people get really defensive about the studies that show that sugar is unhealthy or even toxic. They imply that there is a unfair attack on sugar. Well I was just as skeptical but I chose to try and reduce my intake of sugar and see what happens. What I've experienced appears to confirm what the studies have shown and that is that sugar has both long term and short term negative effects on the body and mind.

Some argue that sugar is an enjoyable part of life. For me that feeling of succumbing to mindless craving is terrible. The short term and long term effects of high sugar consumption are not enjoyable.
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Replies

  • squatsanddeadlift
    squatsanddeadlift Posts: 117 Member
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    That's not an experiment.
    If you can't practice control with Cinnamon Delights then don't eat them.
  • ladyglamazon
    ladyglamazon Posts: 19 Member
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    I think that if this works well for you, go for it. You know your body best. Others may find that their mileage varies, but this doesn't mean that what you've found isn't valid for you.
  • Sarasmaintaining
    Sarasmaintaining Posts: 1,027 Member
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    Is this a serious post??
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    To each their own, but making a claim like "sugar has both long term and short term negative effects on the body and mind" you are no longer singling yourself out. Sugar doesn't have negative effects on my body and mind, in fact I have never felt and looked better.
  • tiptoethruthetulips
    tiptoethruthetulips Posts: 3,360 Member
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    I tend to be the same in that I can't stop at one or whatever amount I said I would eat. So generally, I tend to avoid the trigger foods.

    Some people find it easier to practice self control than others, some people manage the sugar crash better than others...do what works for you...most people do
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    Here's my experiment. I baked a pan of brownies. I ate one. I wrapped the rest in foil and put them away.

    I felt fine after I ate it.

    The end.

    This was after years of telling myself I was addicted to sugar, eating too much sugar made me feel like crap, and I never used to be able to stop at just eating one brownie. A pan of brownies? The whole thing or bust.

    It's never the food, it's always you.

  • Sarasmaintaining
    Sarasmaintaining Posts: 1,027 Member
    edited May 2015
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    "What happens when a user abuses the flag feature

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    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10007789/flagged-content-reported-posts-warning-points
  • dashaclaire
    dashaclaire Posts: 127 Member
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    Oh this is going to end badly.

    Many people can control themselves and eat a reasonable portion of real sugar sweetned (fill in the blank). Personally I notice that for me, it triggers a food binge 10/10 times. It does seem to trigger an unfillable hunger deep inside of me.
    This is because of ME: because I have food issues not because there is something bad about sugar.

    OP is likely describing a similar experience. I still have a sweet tooth so my solution is sugar alcohols. Sweets made by Atkins in particular get me by and don't trigger a binge. But they do keep the ol' digestive system moving (which for me is a good thing) so don't say I didn't warn you.
  • 3bambi3
    3bambi3 Posts: 1,650 Member
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    Your lack of self-control says nothing about sugar.

    You over-indulged in a food which you were restricting. No wonder you felt awful. It would be the same if you stopped eating meat for a few months and then had a giant steak.

    The only conclusion to be drawn from you 'experiment' is that you need to learn moderation.
  • doktorglass
    doktorglass Posts: 91 Member
    edited May 2015
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    :neutral:
  • MeganMcK11
    MeganMcK11 Posts: 117 Member
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    I'd suggest to each and every one of you to watch the documentary "fed up" on Netflix. Very eye opening. Whether or not you agree with sugar as an addiction, it's better to not be ignorant about it.
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
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    mgmckenzie11 wrote: »
    I'd suggest to each and every one of you to watch the documentary "fed up" on Netflix. Very eye opening. Whether or not you agree with sugar as an addiction, it's better to not be ignorant about it.

    Ahh yes food documentaries meant to push an agenda. Derp
  • Sarasmaintaining
    Sarasmaintaining Posts: 1,027 Member
    edited May 2015
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    mgmckenzie11 wrote: »
    I'd suggest to each and every one of you to watch the documentary "fed up" on Netflix. Very eye opening. Whether or not you agree with sugar as an addiction, it's better to not be ignorant about it.

    Ugh, no. Just, no.
  • tdatsenko
    tdatsenko Posts: 155 Member
    edited May 2015
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    mgmckenzie11 wrote: »
    I'd suggest to each and every one of you to watch the documentary "fed up" on Netflix. Very eye opening. Whether or not you agree with sugar as an addiction, it's better to not be ignorant about it.
    Ugh, that movie was terrible.

    Nobody lost any weight. They didn't learn anything about diet or portion control. They blamed everyone except themselves. If you're worried about your kids eating at school, just pack them a lunch. The best part was when the little girl kept saying that she's super active, but not losing weight. She was eating tons of crap though.

    Sugar is not a problem. Eating too much of anything will make you fat.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,523 Member
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    This would be an ANECDOTE and not an experiment.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png[/quote]
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
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    FitnessTim wrote: »
    loaded with sugar and fat.

    Is there any reason you omitted to attribute any or all of your experience to the fat component of what you consumed?

  • const1ar
    const1ar Posts: 18 Member
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    There is a documentary on child obesity on netflix that shows a lot of evidence that the food guidelines were tampered with and are allowing for more sugar consumption than healthy. According to scientific study the actual amount of suger an individual should consume is 10% of your intake calories. I suggest you all take a look.
  • const1ar
    const1ar Posts: 18 Member
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    In a study using rats they found sugar was more addictive than cocaine and explain the difference in metabolic breakdown of sugar vs fruit due to the difference in fiber ratio.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    mamapeach910 wrote: »
    Here's my experiment. I baked a pan of brownies. I ate one. I wrapped the rest in foil and put them away.

    I felt fine after I ate it.

    The end.

    This was after years of telling myself I was addicted to sugar, eating too much sugar made me feel like crap, and I never used to be able to stop at just eating one brownie. A pan of brownies? The whole thing or bust.

    It's never the food, it's always you.

    That's my experiment as well, so does our 2 trump his 1?

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