Sugar. I consume too much sugar. Help!

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lovetolose20
lovetolose20 Posts: 29 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I know that I eat too many sweets. I love sweets, but I know it can't be good for me to eat as much as I do. Can you please give me some advice as to why too much sugar is a bad thing. I don't get many fruits/veggies or even real food into my diet, it's mostly filled with cookies, chocolate, breads, it's not good.
Advice please
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Replies

  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
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    lovetolose20 wrote: »
    I know that I eat too many sweets. I love sweets, but I know it can't be good for me to eat as much as I do. Can you please give me some advice as to why too much sugar is a bad thing. I don't get many fruits/veggies or even real food into my diet, it's mostly filled with cookies, chocolate, breads, it's not good.
    Advice please

    Well, a lot of people on here will say that unless you are diabetic or have a health issue that sugar is fine to consume. But by choosing to not consume as much, you will find that you feel healthier, your skin will be better and inflammation can decrease. Try to slowly cut out sugar. Get coffee with skim milk and sugar-free syrups instead of sugar-loaded lattes. Choose berries over apples and pineapple since they have lower amounts of sugar. Drink water instead of juice and soda. Little changes like this can help big time.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    There is sugar in "real" food too, especially in fruit, and some in vegetables and dairy. So sugar isn't in itself a problem (great that you got this). The problem is when you eat too little real food and get too little variety, because you will get too many calories and not enough nutrients. Bread is "real" food, btw.

    Then on to what you should do, are you asking about that too? If you eat too much cookies and swwets, and too little food, eat more real food, and less cookies and sweets.
  • Traveler120
    Traveler120 Posts: 712 Member
    edited December 2016
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    I love sweets too but limit myself to a small packet of biscuits or candy, 1 large chocolate bar and 1 or 2 pints of ice cream/week. I also consume what many would consider a lot of sugar - 4 lbs of sugar per month for beverages, fresh juices, smoothies, oatmeal, pancakes etc. The rest of my diet (85% of it) is fruits, veggies, grains, potatoes, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds etc and mostly all whole unprocessed foods.

    You can eat a properly nutritious diet and still make room for your sweet tooth. You don't have to give it all up to lose weight or maintain a healthy body. I've managed to lose weight and now at 115 lbs and all my labs are good.

  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
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    I choose no sugar added foods if possible, and use stevia for sweetener in drinks when available. I also drink mostly water, or diet soda if I want soda. I will eat sugar in foods, or in deserts, if there is no other choice, I simply limit how much if possible. Try moderation instead of quitting it cold turkey, you'll find that when you do use sugar after doing without it as often as possible, that it takes much less to satisfy your cravings.
  • KrazyKrissyy
    KrazyKrissyy Posts: 322 Member
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    Everything in moderation to stay sane and calorie deficit if you're trying to lose weight. Maybe some high fiber foods to help you feel full? If even a small-moderate amount of sugar gives you problems, I suggests seeing a doctor or trying an eliminating method. I recently had to switch to a low FODMAP diet due to digestive issues (low sugar, low fructose, no sugar alcohols/sweeteners for me).
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    Come lurk in the Low Carber Daily MFP groups. You'll find a lot of us who cut back on sugars because they became a problem. Perhaps it could work for you.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    Sugar itself isn't bad. What's bad is if you're not getting the nutrients you need because you are only eating sweets. If you have a well rounded diet that includes sweets in moderation you're fine.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    lovetolose20 wrote: »
    Can you please give me some advice as to why too much sugar is a bad thing. I don't get many fruits/veggies or even real food into my diet, it's mostly filled with cookies, chocolate, breads, it's not good.

    That's exactly why it's not good.

    The WHO recommends limiting added sugar to less than 10% of daily calories (5% if possible), because eating more added sugar tends to mean eating lots of high cal things (as you describe) that people tend to overeat (however, important to realize that lots of these calories come from fat and it is the excess calories that are the problem, not specifically the sugar). Also, it tends to result in an unbalanced diet that is not nutritionally adequate.

    I think the most sensible solution tends to be to figure out how to eat a nutritionally-balanced and adequate diet and then use your excess calories as you like. Specifically, start by planning regular meals (or snacks if you prefer) made up of nutritionally-dense foods such as those providing protein and fiber and healthy fats, and lots of vegetables, as well as fruit if you like it. Then, use sweets as extras.

    Presumably you don't eat sweets at meals, do you? If so, start eating normal, balanced meals.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    peaceout_aly wrote: »
    lovetolose20 wrote: »
    I know that I eat too many sweets. I love sweets, but I know it can't be good for me to eat as much as I do. Can you please give me some advice as to why too much sugar is a bad thing. I don't get many fruits/veggies or even real food into my diet, it's mostly filled with cookies, chocolate, breads, it's not good.
    Advice please

    Well, a lot of people on here will say that unless you are diabetic or have a health issue that sugar is fine to consume. But by choosing to not consume as much, you will find that you feel healthier, your skin will be better and inflammation can decrease. Try to slowly cut out sugar. Get coffee with skim milk and sugar-free syrups instead of sugar-loaded lattes. Choose berries over apples and pineapple since they have lower amounts of sugar. Drink water instead of juice and soda. Little changes like this can help big time.

    I do think that sugar is fine to consume, but contrary to your assumption about what people will say, I think that it would be rare for people to say it's totally find to rarely eat any nutrient-dense foods or to base a diet on sweets.
  • red99ryder
    red99ryder Posts: 399 Member
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    I like sugar too .. have sugar in my coffee every day .. I also have a sweet tooth per say and love candy ( the peanut butter balls at Christmas yum yum ) so I just try and keep them out of the house most times and keep some fruit or something naturally sweet around to fill my needs ..it does get easier in time and j still get candy.from time to time . Just try to stay in calorie range


    Good luck
  • Caper1972
    Caper1972 Posts: 25 Member
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    I could have written your post, I love cookies and cakes. I just started logging my food and when I see how many calories I have left I know I need to eat something more satisfying. It has really been an eye opener.

    I also drink a lot of my calories and have traded some drinks for water and if I feel the need for juice I will have a very small amount, water it down or have water with lemon or strawberries in it.

    I know that I will never give up my sweets, but I also know I need to learn better balance while eating.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    Caper1972 wrote: »
    I could have written your post, I love cookies and cakes. I just started logging my food and when I see how many calories I have left I know I need to eat something more satisfying. It has really been an eye opener.

    I also drink a lot of my calories and have traded some drinks for water and if I feel the need for juice I will have a very small amount, water it down or have water with lemon or strawberries in it.

    I know that I will never give up my sweets, but I also know I need to learn better balance while eating.

    Off topic, but I love your avatar photo!
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    ILiftHeavyAcrylics wrote: »
    Personally I believe in more of an "opt in" rather than "opt out" approach to diet. So instead of thinking about how much sugar you can't have, think about how many servings of veggies/fruit you should have, how much protein, how much fat, etc. Once you have all of those nutritional requirements met, whatever's left is okay to use for sweets. It's really 6 of one, half a dozen of the other I guess, but it helps me to think about what I'm including instead of what I'm excluding.

    It's the same as planning a budget. You start with the amount of money you have, and then you deduct the bills you have to pay first. Mortgage, car payment, student loans (groan), etc. Whatever's left is okay to use to go to the movies.

    All of this... and it's always good to see you drop in the forums with your sage wisdom!
  • belinda_73
    belinda_73 Posts: 148 Member
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    Hi, I've gone 6 months without sugar last year and can give you some tips and will do it with you if you want some accountability. you can friend me. I'd like to do it again.
  • LilacLion
    LilacLion Posts: 579 Member
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    I feel ya lovetolose20 ! I don't think that sugar is fine or that any kind of fructose is either. I believe it's a highly addictive toxin and only when surrounded by appropriate amounts of fiber and phytochemicals, is it safe to consume.

    I think that we as a public have been fooled into thinking that it's ok, but I think that we've been buying into destructive advertising for decades. Sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup (as well as the many other names sugar masquerades as) have been insidious in processed foods for most of our lives and I believe that's why we all have a sweet tooth today.

    There are many Books, Documentaries, and Medical Reports describing what happens to to the body when it ingests these chemical compounds. It's not exactly optimal for health or weight loss (again, IMO). It was essential for me to educate myself about this so, of course, I think it's important for everyone to make informed decisions.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    WinoGelato wrote: »
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics wrote: »
    Personally I believe in more of an "opt in" rather than "opt out" approach to diet. So instead of thinking about how much sugar you can't have, think about how many servings of veggies/fruit you should have, how much protein, how much fat, etc. Once you have all of those nutritional requirements met, whatever's left is okay to use for sweets. It's really 6 of one, half a dozen of the other I guess, but it helps me to think about what I'm including instead of what I'm excluding.

    It's the same as planning a budget. You start with the amount of money you have, and then you deduct the bills you have to pay first. Mortgage, car payment, student loans (groan), etc. Whatever's left is okay to use to go to the movies.

    All of this... and it's always good to see you drop in the forums with your sage wisdom!

    <3

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