Sugar? Opinions, please!

ski3r4life · June 2011

The thing about sugar... why is it so addicting? Satisfying? You eat one cookie, and then another, and then another? Does everyone else have this problem of eating sugar in moderation?

I ate clean for 30 days and the cravings for junk never left. I loved feeling healthy. But then I hated how different the lifestyle was from everyone I am surrounded by.

So, then I thought, maybe everything in moderation? But, I seem to have trouble with that. I seemed to have trouble with the all or nothing approach. And I feel like the "everything in moderation" approach is also really hard for me because with no clear cut rules - I really get into the cookies and ice cream whenever I'm stressed.

Maybe the next step for me is to pay and sit down with an actual nutritionist. Because I'm pretty sure that the key to long-term success is to finally find a diet that really works for me, something that feels sustainable in the long-term. Something that doesn't feel like deprivation. Something that doesn't feel like all-or-nothing.

One thing I haven't tried is a strict rule about sugar. Let's say -- eat out once per week. Could I actually stick to that? How would that feel? Would it feel sustainable? I went from 100% healthy (nothing processed, no sweets and all meat/fruits/dairy/vegetables was okay)

This is how my journey on MFP has been: Junk eating phase with strict calorie restriction. Then I introduced many healthy habits into my routine that have stuck: cooking, counting calories, gym, water, shopping regularly, eating FRESH, paying attention to protein/fiber - a real lifestyle change! A lot of these habits have really stuck for the permanent. But I still had my binges. Which lead to an experiment of eating 100% healthy for 30 days. I did it but I white knuckled it and it was SO hard.

And now I feel like I'm somewhere in between... because I need to change something about my diet... either I should have a strict limit on sugar or maybe I should just cut it out completely. And right now I'm not sure which option is right for me. Because after working so hard since February, I've had a really hard time ever consuming sugar in moderation.

Option #1: Eat healthy for more than 30 days. See if the cravings EVER go away

OR

Option #2: Moderation. Have a strict limit on sugar - say once per week on Friday nights?

+
Necessary component #1: Behavior modification. I binge exclusively on sugar after very specific situations.

= My new plan for success.

I'm not going to say one option is better than the other. But, WOW I am really struggling to find something that works for me - because I am surrounded by people who eat like complete and total crap - all this d*mn effing junk food... I will find something that works for me. I've come this far, and I'm not stopping now!

ppiinnkkmmoonn · June 2011

for me i stay far far far away from it. there no in between for me sadly. i had to remove it and haven't looked back. moderation works for some but as a true food addict it doesn't. good luck!

kr3851 · June 2011

I have set myself a food-based reward every week. For someone who could eat a family block of chocolate easily in one sitting (250g) cutting it out completely is not an option. I've set a target (1kg) and if I reach that target loss in a week, I get the reward (a Cadbury Creme Egg). If I don't, I don't get it. Simple.

Now that's not to say I don't eat sugary foods at any other time. But knowing that if I don't indulge during the week I may get that egg at the end of it makes me really think about whether I really want the mid-week snack. Most of the time, I can wait until Sunday Surprise to find out whether I get the egg. Sometimes though, I cave. In those cases, I don't binge willy-nilly. I record what I've eaten, try to work it off within that day and move on.

It has certainly helped to keep a handle on my bingeing. I'm also able to savour the flavours because I know how hard I'll have to work to work it off!!

kanonxbou47 · June 2011

I tend to eat a lot of sugar, yes.
But it helps to eat slow...or just take one cookie, and eat it far away from where the package is.
Also, if you bake, and you cut the things you make into ridiculously small pieces, it helps not eat quite as much. I made cookies the size of a quarter, and instead of eating tons of them, my family would just have two at a time, and they lasted a long time, and were better.
Hope that helped...

ItsLessOfMe · June 2011

I eat it in moderation but I did give up sugary drinks,

clioandboy · June 2011

I've been on here over a year now and I still haven't got this sorted. TOM big prob, stressed big prob, partner has chocolate in the fridge big prob.... N when I do cave in it isnt for one square.... Or often 1 bar... Moderation is a great theory, makes complete sense to me but practising what is preached, hard hard hard.

I think it is going to be my lifes work, maybe yours too!!!!! Good luck to both of us n all who struggle with this.... Bloody sugar I want to divorce you!!!

clioandboy · June 2011

I've been on here over a year now and I still haven't got this sorted. TOM big prob, stressed big prob, partner has chocolate in the fridge big prob.... N when I do cave in it isnt for one square.... Or often 1 bar... Moderation is a great theory, makes complete sense to me but practising what is preached, hard hard hard.

I think it is going to be my lifes work, maybe yours too!!!!! Good luck to both of us n all who struggle with this.... Bloody sugar I want to divorce you!!!

ohthatmomma · June 2011

In phase 1 I ate whatever I wanted. Though there were things I had to do such as: take a multi-vitamin, stop eating at 7:30 PM, eat a big breakfast, and get active. I still lost weight. In Phase 2 (chich I am currently in now), I am not to have any sugar, no refined ANYTHING, and very limited fats. During that first week of Phase 2, with no cheating, I was losing fast. As soon as I put a carb, sugar back into my diet, I actually gained weight. I do seriously believe that I am not to chow down on carbs at all.

I haven't decided what to do exactly about the sugar as I do not enjoy sweetners and an allergic reaction to Stevia landed me in the emergency room. So, I will do sugar, but only in moderation. (And it has slowed down my weight loss).

My favorite things to have are cookies and ice cream. So, when I want ice cream I just get a table spoon full and just let it melt in my mouth. When it is gone it is gone! I tell myself that I can always get more if I really want it, usually I don't really want it. If I get a super big craving for it, I just exercise and the craving is gone after the first mile and my mind is renewed by the workout. I begin to remember why I am doing this.

Now, when it comes to my coffee, I refuse to drink it black. Every morning I use a few cubes of sugar in my coffee. It is my daily treat that I consume with my breakfast.

When I do have cookies and ice- cream, which is once a week usually, I will only eat one cookie crumbled on top of my cream. My ice cream is low fat and only has 100 calories per 1/2 cup.

I don't think we should just give up on a certain food. Sugar is in everything. Yes, you can consume it in moderation, but the moderating can only be done by you. If you are anything like me (in the past) you can't moderate, or shoulk I say DON'T WANT to moderate. Let sugar be your reward. And then limit how much you conusme.

I don't know, I am no expert or anything like that, but sugar isn't bad, we are. We just have to figure out what we can deal with and what we can't.

I know someonee who doesn't consume a lot of sugar, but she overloads on carbs and fruit sugars, well... She is over weight even still. Even though she eats healthy. She just replaced one sugar with another.

So, I do wish you all the best. Maybe I am rambling on and on, which I sometimes do, but I hope you find what works for you. I am still trying to figure it out.

Wishing you all the best!

crackfu · June 2011

I think everyone is different, but for me, i look at it almost like a drug. During the times that I've been able to stick to my diet consistently for a long span of time, I would avoid sugar at all costs. Then, if I had a moment of weakness, one cookie could easily turn into several. Until i reach my goal, I think i'm better off avoiding it, or until i can have the willpower to eat in moderation.

I've heard that willpower is like a muscle that can be built just like physical muscles. So in the beginning it might be tough to have sweets in moderation, but the more times you're able to have it in moderation successfully, the stronger your willpower becomes, and the easier it gets. You can even flex a physical muscle each time you're successful, like a mental metaphor for building your willpower up.

Also, it helps to go in another room if there are sweets around that you shouldn't be having.

unsuspectingfish · June 2011

I've found the key for me is to stop keeping sugary stuff around. I keep fruits, nuts, and yogurt around, instead. When I do have chocolate or something, I make sure I have room for it in my diary.

Sugar? Opinions, please!

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