Matt Lauer proving why no-sugar does't work

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  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    edited July 2015
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    3 Oreos is one serving, and 1/2 cup of ice cream is one serving. The mind set of moderation is learning to understand that when you eat something, you have one serving of it, and enjoy it. Would you rather have that one serving of it, or have none at all? I don't see what's wrong with having 3 cookies.

    Usually, none at all. 3 cookies I'm just getting warmed up to the taste of cookies. It's too easy for 3 cookies to turn into 6. Typically if I "fit in" a treat, it's at the expense of a meal. Or I just go over on my calories for the day.
    It's also easier to practice moderation and work treats in when people have a moderate calorie deficit as opposed to an very high deficit. Although that's a topic that has been previously argued with you before to death, so I'm just going to leave it there.

    I'm sure it is. But then you have to balance that lower deficit with less spectacular weight loss results, and for me anyway, it's the results that make the suffering worthwhile. Lackluster results and you start wondering why you are bothering with the suffering.
    That's a stupid saying because it's only applicable if all you care about is the next 5 minutes. It's not reasonable for the vast majority of people to expect to be able to avoid temptation for the rest of your life.

    Or perhaps just the next 5 weeks or 5 months until you gain some confidence and stamina in controlling what you eat.
    In the long term it is easier to learn how to deal with these situations and "resistance" becomes much easier, and leads to a better quality of life.

    Of course. But not everyone can do that right out of the blocks.
    Add to that the fact that "making the easy choice and only being concerned with about right now" is why a great many people are on MFP trying to lose a bunch of weight, and it's just plain silly to offer this short-sighted saying as a solution to the very problem it created.

    If it works, it's not silly.

    Do you plan, at some point, on realizing that you have bad habits where these foods are concerned?

    I don't think any moderation proponent argues that it's always easy, but one of the things we all need to learn are proper portion sizes for all foods in order to maintain healthy weights. That includes things like our protein sources, fats, and veggies -- not just the treats.

    That's the essence of moderation. Simply learn to moderate your intake of EVERYTHING to suit your calorie goals. If you've had a weight problem, obviously, you've had trouble doing this.

    If you're not learning new habits while losing weight, maintaining weight loss will be more difficult for you.

    It's sometimes much needed for people to refrain from eating problematic foods for a while if it's too hard to deal with moderating their intake of nutrient-dense foods AND treat foods at the same time. It's a lot to do at once. At some point, though, it's a good idea to start thinking ahead to the long term and how you plan to deal with the rest of your life.

    The occasional blow out where you eat a big hunk of cheesecake and make up the calories later is fine, but an ongoing ... clinging to the idea that you just CAN'T have sweets unless you EAT ALL THE COOKIES!!!!! is just self-defeatist and not playing the long game.

    Challenge yourself at some point when you think you're ready. Sit down with three cookies and eat them slowly, taking small bites, and taking the time to chew thoroughly. Then go for a walk afterward to get away from where they are so you can't have any more. You might surprise yourself if you change your attitude.



  • ms_true
    ms_true Posts: 43 Member
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    They are sneakily pandering to corporate food giants who do not give a crap about your health. Why are they not stating the obvious? Stop eating processed food. It's not just the sugar, it's the emulsifiers, fillers, unhealthy fats, food dyes, preservatives, all the chemicals that hitch along.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    ms_true wrote: »
    They are sneakily pandering to corporate food giants who do not give a crap about your health. Why are they not stating the obvious? Stop eating processed food. It's not just the sugar, it's the emulsifiers, fillers, unhealthy fats, food dyes, preservatives, all the chemicals that hitch along.

    Processed foods are a giant category. For example, Fage plain greek yogurt, Bob's Red Mill steel cut oats, dried pasta, smoked salmon.

    I don't see why I would benefit from not eating these foods or many other such.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
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    I'm not missing the point of moderation. I understand fully what the point of moderation is. What I'm telling you is that not everyone has the self-discipline for moderation.
    People who do not have the self-discipline to go to work every day or earn a living for themselves do not deserve to be rich or successful.

  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    ms_true wrote: »
    They are sneakily pandering to corporate food giants who do not give a crap about your health. Why are they not stating the obvious? Stop eating processed food. It's not just the sugar, it's the emulsifiers, fillers, unhealthy fats, food dyes, preservatives, all the chemicals that hitch along.

    Processed foods are a giant category. For example, Fage plain greek yogurt, Bob's Red Mill steel cut oats, dried pasta, smoked salmon.

    I don't see why I would benefit from not eating these foods or many other such.

    True. I think "overly processed foods" would be more appropriate in that post. Though, not all of those are bad either. It's really best to evaluate each food individually. But if you just don't want to be bothered with researching every ingredient and food, I think "limiting overly processed foods" isn't a bad general rule.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
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    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    ms_true wrote: »
    They are sneakily pandering to corporate food giants who do not give a crap about your health. Why are they not stating the obvious? Stop eating processed food. It's not just the sugar, it's the emulsifiers, fillers, unhealthy fats, food dyes, preservatives, all the chemicals that hitch along.

    Processed foods are a giant category. For example, Fage plain greek yogurt, Bob's Red Mill steel cut oats, dried pasta, smoked salmon.

    I don't see why I would benefit from not eating these foods or many other such.

    Not to mention milk, anything frozen, baked, canned, etc.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    I'm not missing the point of moderation. I understand fully what the point of moderation is. What I'm telling you is that not everyone has the self-discipline for moderation.
    People who do not have the self-discipline to go to work every day or earn a living for themselves do not deserve to be rich or successful.

    And yet some are, while some that do go to work every day and earn a living for themselves never get there. Life is funny.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    ms_true wrote: »
    They are sneakily pandering to corporate food giants who do not give a crap about your health. Why are they not stating the obvious? Stop eating processed food. It's not just the sugar, it's the emulsifiers, fillers, unhealthy fats, food dyes, preservatives, all the chemicals that hitch along.

    Processed foods are a giant category. For example, Fage plain greek yogurt, Bob's Red Mill steel cut oats, dried pasta, smoked salmon.

    I don't see why I would benefit from not eating these foods or many other such.

    True. I think "overly processed foods" would be more appropriate in that post. Though, not all of those are bad either. It's really best to evaluate each food individually.

    This is my view.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
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    MoiAussi93 wrote: »
    You do not need carbs. At all. Zero. Now, I do eat carbs, but not because I would die if I didn't. I happen to like nuts and dairy too much to never eat carbs.

    But if you wanted to it is very simple. Just east only foods with fat or protein. It's really not complicated.
    You don't need fingernails either. So what? It doesn't mean we should form a no-fingernail group and use it as a launching pad to flood the forums with posts telling people they should try to live without fingernails.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    You can survive without eating carbs just like you can lose weight eating only Twinkies. Why does this matter? Neither is particularly healthy or something I'd advise. Most people will do much better eating, you know, vegetables, as well as many other foods with carbs in them.

    As for the actual ratio, I think that depends on personal preference, specific health issues, goals, etc.
  • CooCooPuff
    CooCooPuff Posts: 4,374 Member
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  • maillemaker
    maillemaker Posts: 1,253 Member
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    And you're still losing? Have you made it to goal weight successfully and maintained?

    Yes, I am still losing.

    6CAUA0J.png

    No, I have never in my whole life made it to a goal weight nor maintained. Like most people, I have never successfully kept weight off long-term.
    Because you seem self-assured for someone who is still struggling with the journey. Do what you want, but if you're still struggling with weight loss and haven't figured it out yet, arguing with people who have successfully lost and maintained seems rather silly.
    Stomp your feet and turn purple and insist you want to stay overweight, then.

    I am very self-assured about my own feelings, because I am the one feeling them. I can also tell, from reading here and people in real life, that many, many people experience the same feelings.

    I am very self-assured that many people, myself included, do not or did not have the mental strength to succeed with moderation, at least at first.

    Stomp your feet and turn purple if you insist that no one is like that, then.

  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
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    mccindy72 wrote: »
    lynn1982 wrote: »
    Sorry, but this is bs. I gave up sugar (aside from fruit) 3 years ago and haven't looked back. Your taste buds do change, but it takes more than 10 days. Now candy makes me gag and most cakes and cookies are way too sweet for my taste. And I used to binge on these things... moderation never worked for me. But complete avoidance did/does.

    I think it's great that avoidance works for you, that you found something successful. What I was talking about in my original post, is not bs, either, it's just another method to try that works quite often.

    Actually, it is. You made a statement based on a silly experiment where people gave up sugar for 10 days. You specifically stated that giving up sugar "does not work." Actually, it does. Taste buds change. But not in 10 days.
  • Kimberly_Harper
    Kimberly_Harper Posts: 406 Member
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    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    You can survive without eating carbs just like you can lose weight eating only Twinkies. Why does this matter? Neither is particularly healthy or something I'd advise. Most people will do much better eating, you know, vegetables, as well as many other foods with carbs in them.

    As for the actual ratio, I think that depends on personal preference, specific health issues, goals, etc.



    Yep - Today's segment in that series made me think of half of the forum "debates" I've seen on here. The nutritionist says as long as you eat less calories than you burn, you'll lose weight but "not all calories are equal" and encouraged people to use most of their calories on more nutrient-dense foods even though you will still lose weight by just staying under that calorie goal. When Honest Matt asked if you can eat anything you want as long as it is within those calories, she responded with yes but do you want to just lose weight or do you want to lose weight and have energy...

    I think that both the "eat in moderation" and "restrict certain foods" camps can agree on that.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    edited July 2015
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    mccindy72 wrote: »
    3 Oreos is one serving, and 1/2 cup of ice cream is one serving. The mind set of moderation is learning to understand that when you eat something, you have one serving of it, and enjoy it. Would you rather have that one serving of it, or have none at all? I don't see what's wrong with having 3 cookies.

    Usually, none at all. 3 cookies I'm just getting warmed up to the taste of cookies. It's too easy for 3 cookies to turn into 6. Typically if I "fit in" a treat, it's at the expense of a meal. Or I just go over on my calories for the day.
    It's also easier to practice moderation and work treats in when people have a moderate calorie deficit as opposed to an very high deficit. Although that's a topic that has been previously argued with you before to death, so I'm just going to leave it there.

    I'm sure it is. But then you have to balance that lower deficit with less spectacular weight loss results, and for me anyway, it's the results that make the suffering worthwhile. Lackluster results and you start wondering why you are bothering with the suffering.
    That's a stupid saying because it's only applicable if all you care about is the next 5 minutes. It's not reasonable for the vast majority of people to expect to be able to avoid temptation for the rest of your life.

    Or perhaps just the next 5 weeks or 5 months until you gain some confidence and stamina in controlling what you eat.
    In the long term it is easier to learn how to deal with these situations and "resistance" becomes much easier, and leads to a better quality of life.

    Of course. But not everyone can do that right out of the blocks.
    Add to that the fact that "making the easy choice and only being concerned with about right now" is why a great many people are on MFP trying to lose a bunch of weight, and it's just plain silly to offer this short-sighted saying as a solution to the very problem it created.

    If it works, it's not silly.

    And you're still losing? Have you made it to goal weight successfully and maintained? Because you seem self-assured for someone who is still struggling with the journey.

    Wow.

    What is it with you? You're taking cheap, personal shots at people all over the boards, many of them working their butts off to succeed.

    Are you trying to prove that getting to goal weight doesn't improve people's personalities?

    If that's the case....mission accomplished.

  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    You can survive without eating carbs just like you can lose weight eating only Twinkies. Why does this matter? Neither is particularly healthy or something I'd advise. Most people will do much better eating, you know, vegetables, as well as many other foods with carbs in them.

    As for the actual ratio, I think that depends on personal preference, specific health issues, goals, etc.



    Yep - Today's segment in that series made me think of half of the forum "debates" I've seen on here. The nutritionist says as long as you eat less calories than you burn, you'll lose weight but "not all calories are equal" and encouraged people to use most of their calories on more nutrient-dense foods even though you will still lose weight by just staying under that calorie goal. When Honest Matt asked if you can eat anything you want as long as it is within those calories, she responded with yes but do you want to just lose weight or do you want to lose weight and have energy...

    I think that both the "eat in moderation" and "restrict certain foods" camps can agree on that.

    Yup. Glad to see the follow up for calorie counting was so level headed.
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
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    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    3 Oreos is one serving, and 1/2 cup of ice cream is one serving. The mind set of moderation is learning to understand that when you eat something, you have one serving of it, and enjoy it. Would you rather have that one serving of it, or have none at all? I don't see what's wrong with having 3 cookies.

    Usually, none at all. 3 cookies I'm just getting warmed up to the taste of cookies. It's too easy for 3 cookies to turn into 6. Typically if I "fit in" a treat, it's at the expense of a meal. Or I just go over on my calories for the day.
    It's also easier to practice moderation and work treats in when people have a moderate calorie deficit as opposed to an very high deficit. Although that's a topic that has been previously argued with you before to death, so I'm just going to leave it there.

    I'm sure it is. But then you have to balance that lower deficit with less spectacular weight loss results, and for me anyway, it's the results that make the suffering worthwhile. Lackluster results and you start wondering why you are bothering with the suffering.
    That's a stupid saying because it's only applicable if all you care about is the next 5 minutes. It's not reasonable for the vast majority of people to expect to be able to avoid temptation for the rest of your life.

    Or perhaps just the next 5 weeks or 5 months until you gain some confidence and stamina in controlling what you eat.
    In the long term it is easier to learn how to deal with these situations and "resistance" becomes much easier, and leads to a better quality of life.

    Of course. But not everyone can do that right out of the blocks.
    Add to that the fact that "making the easy choice and only being concerned with about right now" is why a great many people are on MFP trying to lose a bunch of weight, and it's just plain silly to offer this short-sighted saying as a solution to the very problem it created.

    If it works, it's not silly.

    And you're still losing? Have you made it to goal weight successfully and maintained? Because you seem self-assured for someone who is still struggling with the journey.

    Wow.

    What is it with you? You're taking cheap, personal shots at people all over the boards, many of them working their butts off to succeed.

    Are you trying to prove that getting to goal weight doesn't improve people's personalities?

    If that's the case....mission accomplished.

    +1. I've been wanting to say something like this for a couple of days now.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    You can survive without eating carbs just like you can lose weight eating only Twinkies. Why does this matter? Neither is particularly healthy or something I'd advise. Most people will do much better eating, you know, vegetables, as well as many other foods with carbs in them.

    As for the actual ratio, I think that depends on personal preference, specific health issues, goals, etc.



    Yep - Today's segment in that series made me think of half of the forum "debates" I've seen on here. The nutritionist says as long as you eat less calories than you burn, you'll lose weight but "not all calories are equal" and encouraged people to use most of their calories on more nutrient-dense foods even though you will still lose weight by just staying under that calorie goal. When Honest Matt asked if you can eat anything you want as long as it is within those calories, she responded with yes but do you want to just lose weight or do you want to lose weight and have energy...

    I think that both the "eat in moderation" and "restrict certain foods" camps can agree on that.

    I agree.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    mccindy72 wrote: »
    3 Oreos is one serving, and 1/2 cup of ice cream is one serving. The mind set of moderation is learning to understand that when you eat something, you have one serving of it, and enjoy it. Would you rather have that one serving of it, or have none at all? I don't see what's wrong with having 3 cookies.

    Usually, none at all. 3 cookies I'm just getting warmed up to the taste of cookies. It's too easy for 3 cookies to turn into 6. Typically if I "fit in" a treat, it's at the expense of a meal. Or I just go over on my calories for the day.
    It's also easier to practice moderation and work treats in when people have a moderate calorie deficit as opposed to an very high deficit. Although that's a topic that has been previously argued with you before to death, so I'm just going to leave it there.

    I'm sure it is. But then you have to balance that lower deficit with less spectacular weight loss results, and for me anyway, it's the results that make the suffering worthwhile. Lackluster results and you start wondering why you are bothering with the suffering.
    That's a stupid saying because it's only applicable if all you care about is the next 5 minutes. It's not reasonable for the vast majority of people to expect to be able to avoid temptation for the rest of your life.

    Or perhaps just the next 5 weeks or 5 months until you gain some confidence and stamina in controlling what you eat.
    In the long term it is easier to learn how to deal with these situations and "resistance" becomes much easier, and leads to a better quality of life.

    Of course. But not everyone can do that right out of the blocks.
    Add to that the fact that "making the easy choice and only being concerned with about right now" is why a great many people are on MFP trying to lose a bunch of weight, and it's just plain silly to offer this short-sighted saying as a solution to the very problem it created.

    If it works, it's not silly.

    And you're still losing? Have you made it to goal weight successfully and maintained? Because you seem self-assured for someone who is still struggling with the journey. Do what you want, but if you're still struggling with weight loss and haven't figured it out yet, arguing with people who have successfully lost and maintained seems rather silly.
    Stomp your feet and turn purple and insist you want to stay overweight, then.
    The fact that you're done losing weight doesn't make your opinion more valid than anyone else's.

    Geez.
  • CJisinShape
    CJisinShape Posts: 1,407 Member
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    I think sugar should be eaten in moderation. However, due to the addictive nature of sugar and its devastating effects on the body if overconsumed, a person could benefit from going no sugar for a time. It makes people aware of how prevalent it is (ketchup! coleslaw!) and decreases their taste for sweets.

    When people have more control over themselves, and trained their palates for less sweet and their stomach for less volume, they can use sugar in moderation. If people were good at moderation in the first place, they wouldn't need to lose weight.