Any advice for cutting down on sugar?

racheljasminewood wrote: »

I find this quite difficult!

Focus on getting more protein and fiber. I find it mentally easier to add than it is to subtract--you're going to have to lose something in order to have a deficit, and you will probably decrease your sugar if you focus on increasing those.

Have you been logging your food for at least a few weeks? If you have take a look at the things you like to eat that are low or lower in sugar and eat more of those. That's probably the easiest place to start. You might also make a list of the more nutritious foods that you like that are low in sugar and incorporate more of those into your diet too.

It's important that you enjoy your food so pay particular attention to that -- dropping something you love for something you barely tolerate is probably not sustainable for most.

Baby steps. It doesn't have to be an all or nothing type of thing and you don't have to have it all figured out today. It's hard at first but you'll get there.

ETA:

racheljasminewood wrote: »

Well since I've been tracking and trying to eat healthier it seems I am still getting a lot of sugar. I think it mainly comes from fruit. <snip>

I just saw this post. Fruit is healthful so if that's where your sugar is coming from I think you're doing just fine and better than most. You might also be interested in this Sugar FAQ:

Sugar FAQ June 2015

Blondiez73 wrote: »

Fruit is healthy. You should be encouraged to eat it over processed sugary foods like ice cream, cake, donuts, soda etc. Fruit gives you fiber to fill you up and is full of nutrients. I personally don't feel more protein is the solution for satiety. You can feel just as full on fruit and vegetables and get more bang for your buck, than eating protein which is full of fat, cholesterol, hormones, bacteria, viruses, vessels, tendons, nerves, critters. Eww. No. Dead flesh is not appetizing. Fresh colorful sweet fruits are very appetizing. Dead flesh needs to be covered in sauces and spices to taste good. Fresh fruit is tasty from the picking.

What? I don't disagree that fruits and vegetables are wonderful, fresh, filling, and nourishing, but meat isn't necessarily disgusting and filled with hormones and antibiotics. If you buy responsibly raised meat (preferably from a local farm,) then meat can be just as noiurishing as the wonderfully colored fruits and veggies -- just in different ways. I agree that factory farmed meat is terrible and disgusting, but not all meat is like that. Have you ever eaten a roasted free range chicken? A truly free range one that was able to scratch around and forage for bugs and grubs it's entire life? They are so delicious that they don't need anything to make them taste better. The natural flavor of the meat beats out anything you would ever find in the poultry case at the grocery store.

Also, why harp on the cholesterol found in meat and dairy products? The cholesterol you get from your food has little to no effect on the levels of cholesterol found in your blood. Your cell membranes are made of cholesterol. The myelin sheaths protecting your neural pathways are made of cholesterol. Many other important nutrients (like the B vitamins, among others,) are found most abundantly in foods that are high in cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol isn't bad for you. This isn't the 90s anymore.

To answer the OP's post, try replacing the processed and added sugars in your diet (from things like candy and cookies and the like,) with things that are naturally sweet; like fruit. It will satisfy the craving and you will be getting some valuable nutrients that the processed snack foods weren't giving you. Win-win!

Look at my wholefoodlife.com she describes how she did it. I think the key is to cut down slowly. Ie. Slowly reducing amount of sugar you add to coffee until you don't add any. Instead of sugary drinks, drink water. Instead of a sweet snack eat some fresh fruit. sugar in fruit is not bad for you unless you have some medical condition, and you get all the benefits of the nutrients in the fruit. If you are craving something sweet then it's much better to have fruit or even dried fruit like dates.

Also, why harp on the cholesterol found in meat and dairy products? The cholesterol you get from your food has little to no effect on the levels of cholesterol found in your blood. Your cell membranes are made of cholesterol. The myelin sheaths protecting your neural pathways are made of cholesterol. Many other important nutrients (like the B vitamins, among others,) are found most abundantly in foods that are high in cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol isn't bad for you. This isn't the 90s anymore.

Amen! I eat read meat 3-4 times a week & consume 2-3lbs (at least) of bacon every week. Some days, I have anywhere from 3-6 eggs & my cholesterol continuously drops even more into the Healthy range.

I do limit my fruits to only a serving or two a week. Since I tried a Sugar Detox months ago, I no longer crave sweets. And if I eat plenty of protein, I stay satisfied.

yarwell wrote: »

Protein we need to live, fruit we don't. There's a balance to be found in there somewhere. Should be easy to live within 100 grams of sugar a day from all sources and get what you need nutritionally.

Yeah, it's pretty easy to stay within 100 grams. On what basis would you conclude that OP is over 100 grams?

The MFP goal is often quite a bit lower, like 45 grams.

There's so far no evidence that OP needs to reduce her fruit consumption. Few people do.

I would agree that if she thinks there's a connection between being low on protein (and she's truly low on protein) and eating fruit that it's worth exchanging fruit for something with protein, but usually there's not much of a connection (except for those doing raw or 80-10-10, of course).

Only eat sugary foods with fiber and/or protein. Either look for sugary foods that already contain these, or eat them with other foods that do. It's makes a huge difference to me.