Sugar free

24

Replies

  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    @lawanddean about a year ago trying to manage my arthritis pain without Rx meds I went off of sugar which means I now eat < 50 grams of any carb food source daily. I had been living mainly on carbs for 40 years and the withdrawal cravings make it hellish for me for two weeks and were basically gone after the first month thankfully.

    Between my cutting out sugar and grains and going heavy on coconut oil to make up the calories loss from carb intake my pain is well managed and 40 years of life defining IBS was cured within 6 months eating <50 grams of carbs daily.

    I expect without a real health need/concern cutting out sugar is not going to appeal the masses.

    Thankfully from a medical angle humans do not require sugar and grains (carbs) to be in our diet at any level to be healthy. Zero carb eating does not appeal to my mind and < 50 grams daily permits me to stay in nutritional ketosis which seems in my case to keep my pain at bay. Curing the IBS and a slow weight loss are just two nice side effects of eating very Low Carb High Fat in my case.

    Best of success if you decide to go sugar free. Medically going sugar free is not typically required for good health. If you do go sugar free read up on the subject. It took me a few month to fully adjust to burning mainly ketones instead of glucose for energy. Keep in mind there are no min daily requirement of carbs to eat. Typically the body will make all the glucose we require if we eat enough protein and fats. Personally I do not go heavy on protein to prevent weight gains from the glucose that comes from protein typically. I keep protein in the 70-100 grams daily as a 200 pound guy.

    In my case I do not go hungry to lose weight and I eat until I am really full. Living on sugar (carbs) I could eat a 3000 meal and still 'want' more 'food'. I now croak if I do not stop eating when I get full.

    If young people will learn the best way their bodies wants them to eat and DO it they will not have to deal with wrong eating in their old age the way I do today I expect.
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    edited August 2015
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    I take it you mean you are looking to reduce your sugar - good for you. great thing to cut back on to reduce the calories.

    Going "sugar free" does not = "reducing sugar."

    It does if you don't read everything so literally!

    The other day I was out of breath (but guess what? I could still breath).

    Out of breath is an expression in a way sugar free is not.

    So not a good analogy.

    I would also disagree that reducing sugar from veg is a good thing.

    I think in this day an age of dieting 'most people' understand sugar free diets as an expression meaning 'ones that reduce added sugar'.

    It just seems on MFP that 'some' do not have the capability of using common sense when understanding OP's phraseology.

    And regards reducing sugar from fruit and veg - I think you can only really make a judgement on that when you know what the starting point is (for example - If the ops is getting 80% of cals from fruit and veg, there maybe room for reduction).
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    I take it you mean you are looking to reduce your sugar - good for you. great thing to cut back on to reduce the calories.

    Going "sugar free" does not = "reducing sugar."

    It does if you don't read everything so literally!

    The other day I was out of breath (but guess what? I could still breath).

    Out of breath is an expression in a way sugar free is not.

    So not a good analogy.

    I would also disagree that reducing sugar from veg is a good thing.

    I think in this day an age of dieting 'most people' understand sugar free diets as an expression meaning 'ones that reduce added sugar'.

    It just seems on MFP that 'some' do not have the capability of using common sense when understanding OP's phraseology.

    And regards reducing sugar from fruit and veg - I think you can only really make a judgement on that when you know what the starting point is (for example - If the ops is getting 80% of cals from fruit and veg, there maybe room for reduction).

    Sure, especially because everyone who says "going sugar free" means exactly that and we have totally not seen anyone on here who literally meant going completely sugar free, or completely added sugar free instead of "reducing".
  • umayster
    umayster Posts: 651 Member
    edited August 2015
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    I take it you mean you are looking to reduce your sugar - good for you. great thing to cut back on to reduce the calories.

    Going "sugar free" does not = "reducing sugar."

    It does if you don't read everything so literally!

    The other day I was out of breath (but guess what? I could still breath).

    :smiley:
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    fruit and veg are very good for you...so nah...
  • umayster
    umayster Posts: 651 Member
    lawanddean wrote: »
    Whilst fruit and veg are good for you, if you want to lose weight eating too much fruit which is high in sugar could have adverse effects. Especially dried fruit which is high in calories and sugar, fruit juices and smoothed. I no longer have any of these and have seen really positive results

    Same here, avoiding all added sugars and sweeteners, avoiding high sugar fruits and veggies too - there are a million food choices and eliminating high sugar ones is pretty painless once you get into the practice.

  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    fruit and veg are very good for you...so nah...

    Not if you eat too much of them. It's all about moderation ;)

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited August 2015
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    fruit and veg are very good for you...so nah...

    Not if you eat too much of them. It's all about moderation ;)

    uhhhh...ok tennisdude

    so what's too much then...enlighten me....

    I eat about 6-8 servings of veg daily...3-4 servings of fruit...so enlighten me, what am I doing wrong?

    and by the by, I'm pretty damned fit and healthy and currently sitting around 12% BF.

    [Edited by MFP Staff]
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    Well Cwolfmange - eating more in calories than you burn - possibly! or does fruit have magic calories that don't cause weight gain??? Please enlighten me!

  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    Congrats! I'm glad you found something that works so well for you.

    And no worries if it is water weight. If you never return to eating foods with added sugars in the same way you did in the past, that (water) weight will never come back. I've been eating lowered sugars, and then almost no sugars, for close to two months and I have lost over twenty pounds; if three or four of those are water weight, who cares. ;)

    It's pretty impressive how you were able to lose after upping your calorie intake. What you are doing obviously works for you.
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Well Cwolfmange - eating more in calories than you burn - possibly! or does fruit have magic calories that don't cause weight gain??? Please enlighten me!

    no *kitten* sherlock...that's not even the premise of the thread...the premise of the thread is going sugar free...

    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSVH9_YlNnLMGXBbb4Q9z9nc8J3fERJl6UkEkpe5rzDse8tpwcXOw

    Weird statement, but I'm sure your daddy's proud of you anyway!!!

    If you actually read what the op said (in their own words)! They are looking to go 'added sugar free' which I assume from their previous statements they are refer in to processed foods. Then to reduce their intake of sugar from fruit (I can only assume they feel they eat too much of the stuff)!

    Keep up!!!! I know it can be taxing!!!


  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Well Cwolfmange - eating more in calories than you burn - possibly! or does fruit have magic calories that don't cause weight gain??? Please enlighten me!

    no *kitten* sherlock...that's not even the premise of the thread...the premise of the thread is going sugar free...

    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSVH9_YlNnLMGXBbb4Q9z9nc8J3fERJl6UkEkpe5rzDse8tpwcXOw

    Weird statement, but I'm sure your daddy's proud of you anyway!!!

    If you actually read what the op said (in their own words)! They are looking to go 'added sugar free' which I assume from their previous statements they are refer in to processed foods. Then to reduce their intake of sugar from fruit (I can only assume they feel they eat too much of the stuff)!

    Keep up!!!! I know it can be taxing!!!


    Lol...
  • daniwilford
    daniwilford Posts: 1,030 Member
    I do limit added sugar, two fruit servings a day, and carbs to 45 grams max per meal or snack. I feel great, my pre-diabetes is under control, and I have lost weight. I really do not miss it. Limiting my salt intake is much more challenging in my opinion.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    I've reduced sugar, mostly in baked goods and drinks that require added sugar. I've found the less sugar I eat, the less I want, and the less I can tolerate. I feel sick from a Snickers bar now, and I can only eat one cookie at a time.

    I am eating more fruit and was surprised to learn that fruit that tastes very sweet to me, like strawberries, actually has a surprisingly low amount of fruit.

    I eat dried fruit very sparingly. Sometimes I will have one dried apricot after a meal, and this is enough to take care of the desire for dessert, which I now seldom feel these days.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    so what's too much then...enlighten me....

    I eat about 6-8 servings of veg daily...3-4 servings of fruit...so enlighten me, what am I doing wrong?

    The autopsy will tell us :-)

    Until then who knows, data on outliers is sparse and less reliable.
  • lawanddean
    lawanddean Posts: 46 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Well Cwolfmange - eating more in calories than you burn - possibly! or does fruit have magic calories that don't cause weight gain??? Please enlighten me!

    no *kitten* sherlock...that's not even the premise of the thread...the premise of the thread is going sugar free...

    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSVH9_YlNnLMGXBbb4Q9z9nc8J3fERJl6UkEkpe5rzDse8tpwcXOw

    Weird statement, but I'm sure your daddy's proud of you anyway!!!

    If you actually read what the op said (in their own words)! They are looking to go 'added sugar free' which I assume from their previous statements they are refer in to processed foods. Then to reduce their intake of sugar from fruit (I can only assume they feel they eat too much of the stuff)!

    Keep up!!!! I know it can be taxing!!!


  • lawanddean
    lawanddean Posts: 46 Member
    Yes I was eating too much fruit, about 2 bananas, lots of grapes, apples, plums and peaches everyday. I learnt that in moderation fruit is fine but yes too much is not good for you. Although veggies seem fine no matter how much I eat. I used to think eating lots of fruit was healthy but it's really not. About 2 to 3 a day seem about right, but I'm just taking personal experience everyone is different
  • kristieritter1
    kristieritter1 Posts: 2 Member
    I gave up sugar 10 months ago, meaning that in my day in and day out, I do not eat foods with added sugar, I limit high sugar fruits and foods that turn to insulin quickly in our bodies (traditional bread, white potatoes) I use stevia to sweeten things. I would say it's doable--try it!
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    lawanddean wrote: »
    Also I've increased my calories from 1400 which was recommended by this site too 2000 as my food now is high in calories (nuts, dairy) I've always struggled to lose weight unless I exercise but having twin babies has meant I am unable to go to the gym 5 times a week (which I did pre babies) I've never thought it was possible to eat more, do less exercise (which I'm not recommending as I will be back to the gym ASAP) and still lose weight which isn't water retention

    Increasing calories will result in slower weight loss and depending on your caloric needs, possibly weight gain.
  • lawanddean
    lawanddean Posts: 46 Member
    elphie754 wrote: »
    lawanddean wrote: »
    Also I've increased my calories from 1400 which was recommended by this site too 2000 as my food now is high in calories (nuts, dairy) I've always struggled to lose weight unless I exercise but having twin babies has meant I am unable to go to the gym 5 times a week (which I did pre babies) I've never thought it was possible to eat more, do less exercise (which I'm not recommending as I will be back to the gym ASAP) and still lose weight which isn't water retention

    Increasing calories will result in slower weight loss and depending on your caloric needs, possibly weight gain.

  • lawanddean
    lawanddean Posts: 46 Member
    My body doesn't work like that, if I reduce calories to what this site tells me too I gain weight as my body stores fat as it's not getting enough calories. I have chosen to increase calories but not eat processed food and cut out all added sugar and it's working really well. I used to think calories made you put on weight but I know for a fact, for me it's added sugar and processed food
  • Isabelle_1929
    Isabelle_1929 Posts: 233 Member
    lawanddean wrote: »
    Yes I was eating too much fruit, about 2 bananas, lots of grapes, apples, plums and peaches everyday. I learnt that in moderation fruit is fine but yes too much is not good for you. Although veggies seem fine no matter how much I eat. I used to think eating lots of fruit was healthy but it's really not. About 2 to 3 a day seem about right, but I'm just taking personal experience everyone is different

    You realize that there is a HUGE difference in calories between fruits, and vegetable?
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    lawanddean wrote: »
    My body doesn't work like that, if I reduce calories to what this site tells me too I gain weight as my body stores fat as it's not getting enough calories. I have chosen to increase calories but not eat processed food and cut out all added sugar and it's working really well. I used to think calories made you put on weight but I know for a fact, for me it's added sugar and processed food

    So your body defies basic physics?

    Yeah, sorry no. You are not a special snowflake that the laws of physics don't apply to.
  • lawanddean
    lawanddean Posts: 46 Member
    lawanddean wrote: »
    Yes I was eating too much fruit, about 2 bananas, lots of grapes, apples, plums and peaches everyday. I learnt that in moderation fruit is fine but yes too much is not good for you. Although veggies seem fine no matter how much I eat. I used to think eating lots of fruit was healthy but it's really not. About 2 to 3 a day seem about right, but I'm just taking personal experience everyone is different

    You realize that there is a HUGE difference in calories between fruits, and vegetable?

  • lawanddean
    lawanddean Posts: 46 Member
    Yes I do :) I know the calories in everything after using this site :)
  • happyangela16
    happyangela16 Posts: 5 Member
    I'm not completely sugar-free due to the face that I eat some whole grains and fruits. And I do splurge now and then. OH an my morning coffee has sugar too lol. But I've cut WAY back. Sweets are my weakness! But I am learning and trying to keep them under control. I have PCOS and it is very important that I keep my sugar and carb intake under control.
  • lawanddean
    lawanddean Posts: 46 Member
    elphie754 wrote: »
    lawanddean wrote: »
    My body doesn't work like that, if I reduce calories to what this site tells me too I gain weight as my body stores fat as it's not getting enough calories. I have chosen to increase calories but not eat processed food and cut out all added sugar and it's working really well. I used to think calories made you put on weight but I know for a fact, for me it's added sugar and processed food

    So your body defies basic physics?

    Yeah, sorry no. You are not a special snowflake that the laws of physics don't apply to.

  • lawanddean
    lawanddean Posts: 46 Member
    Weight management is a simple game of math, these folks argue. To maintain your current weight, you need to consume the same number of calories your body burns each day. To lose a pound, you need to create a caloric deficit of approximately 3,500 calories. Whether you create that deficit by eating less fat, less carbohydrate, less protein or a little less of everything is immaterial.

    It sounds sensible, but it’s actually not true. A calorie is not a calorie, in more than one sense. Carbohydrate, fat and protein calories are indeed equal by definition in terms of their energy content, but the body processes each in a distinct way, and these differences have real implications for weight management. In addition, food calories of all types may have very different effects on the body depending on when they are eaten and what they are eaten with.
  • lawanddean
    lawanddean Posts: 46 Member
    I'm not completely sugar-free due to the face that I eat some whole grains and fruits. And I do splurge now and then. OH an my morning coffee has sugar too lol. But I've cut WAY back. Sweets are my weakness! But I am learning and trying to keep them under control. I have PCOS and it is very important that I keep my sugar and carb intake under control.

  • lawanddean
    lawanddean Posts: 46 Member
    That's a really good, I used to have sugar in my morning tea, felt weird giving it up but after a while I didn't even notice :)