Sugar, hoping my post will be encouraging

GaleHawkins · March 2018

mandy_godfree wrote: »

I was brought up on sugar. Not fizzy drinks and sweets, but my Mum made us sugar sandwiches when there was nothing else in the house, we always had puddings in the evening, and at least a dessert spoon of sugar on our cereal in the morning. My Dad even puts sugar in his peas when he cooks them.

These days I no longer have sugar sandwiches or sugar on my cereal but I do still have a sweet tooth. I was staying under my calorie goal for the day, but still had one sweetener in my tea and two in coffee, I was having at least two diet fizzy drinks and a chocolate bar every day when at work as well as cake at lunch on my days off, and puddings at dinner time. So to stay under my calorie goal meant forfeiting the good stuff to keep up with my sweet tooth.

Then as Lent approached I said to my husband I was thinking about cutting out most forms of processed sugar. Sweets, fizzy drinks, cakes, chocolate, biscuits and desserts. I didn’t think I’d make it past the first day, and to be honest neither did he, he was just kind enough not to tell me that he doubted my resolve.

Lent arrived and I cut out all of the above, but the withdrawal symptoms have persuaded me that sugar simply cannot be good for you. I have had mood swings, headaches, fatigue, irritability and at times depression like symptoms. This lasted about 3 1/2 weeks it has been horrendous. I googled sugar withdrawal just to make sure I wasn’t going mad. As a result of the symptoms, for the last week I have ditched sweetener in tea and halved sweetener in coffee as well. I am feeling much better and have lost a lb a week just by cutting out sugar. I have even tried to start cutting down on carbs as well and am taking much more notice of how much sugar is in my food.

I’ve noted my macros are far more balanced and I can eat more savoury food to make up for missing out on the calories, meaning I feel full for longer. Everything tastes different which means water is far more palatable than it was before and I now eat a low sugar breakfast cereal with no more than 7grams of sugar in it. Before my breakfast cereal had 12 grams of sugar. Have supplemented sweets with dried mango and fresh grapes to break up the monotony of long car journeys and trips to the cinema.

If I have learnt anything over Lent it’s how hard it is to find a suitable substitute for sugar snacking. We walked into a petrol station on a long car journey last week and there were shelves and shelves of crisps, chocolate, dips and sweets, but the fruit was hidden in a corner. Today it took me 20 minutes to find where the local supermarket had hidden the dried fruit.

I understand that there is no such thing as a clinical addiction to sugar, but for me the result of trying to avoid artificial sweetener and refined / processed sugar has sent me on a profound personal journey that makes me want to stay away from sugar even after Lent finishes next week. Hopefully I will stick to it in the most part and not start revisiting the local Waffle House once a week.

I have pleasantly surprised both myself and my husband and my experience has persuaded both my husband and my Dad to cut back on their sugar intake too. So hopefully I won’t have to cope with the same mood swings they’ve had to deal with from me.

Awesome post that mirrors the experiences of many others in one way or another. Thanks for sharing.

Other readers reactions supports my view that the woo button can serve as a replacement of the Awesome button in the minds of some.

tayusuki · March 2018

People get so heated about this topic when in reality, I think they have the same underlying thoughts but everyone uses different words (which don't necessarily mean what they intend).

I think you can be acclimated to eating something. And so if you drastically reduce the intake, the rhythm that your body had is interrupted. I know several vegans that cave and have cheese -- and they get terribly sick when they do (their body lost the ability to tolerate it) despite being able to eat cheese pre-vegan.

Personally, I used to fit soda into my calories and couldn't drop the weight. I maintained everything the same and cut the soda only, and the weight seemed to just melt away. Oh well, I replaced the soda calories with food calories. I also had the worst migraines, body aches, and irritability for about 2 weeks. Now, if I have a single soda, I do get very physically sick. Is it the sugar making me sick? Probably not -- I do enjoy a cake or something very sugar dense now and again with less issue. But some ingredient in the soda WAS stalling weight loss.

I also notice that when I have sweet things, I crave more sweet things with an awful vengence. If I avoid sweet things, I'm less tempted when presented with a treat to indulge. It's easier to manage my calories if I limit my sweets intake. Note though, it doesn't happen with fruits, etc. I'm not making a refined vs natural sugar statement -- but I'm trying to bring up the quantity of sugar brought up in one sitting. Also, I do think the fruits have other nutrients and elements to help break down the sugars a little more slowly, plus being a smaller dose of sugar overall if you stick to serving sizes.

This is something many people struggle with too, and is possibly where the "addiction" word is coined in.

I eat as much fruits and veggies as my budget allows. They're filling and contribute to a diverse diet. Breads and sweets are great in moderation, but personally I lose control with them if I'm not careful. Plus, I'm generally able to eat a larger volume of food if they're not involved.

Now everyone's body is different. Various macro balances are more satiating to different people. I'm one of those people where protein is best for me and thus I steer more towards it (not to mention my track record when it comes to high carb intakes -- I'm just always hungry). Other people do better on fat or carbs. I also think that's a contributing factor and why some struggle where sugar is concerned.

To summarize...
Sugar isn't "evil", and refined and natural are the same essentially. But foods with natural sugars have additional nutrients to aid digestion, and quantity of sugar matters to some people's bodies. Drastically reducing sugar intake of any kind is indeed going to cause a physical reaction -- our bodies adjust to what we give it (less water means it prioritizes where it goes. Less glucose means it'll make what it needs instead. So on). When we interrupt the flow we have given it, our bodies stutter to readjust. It can be very uncomfortable. Lastly, some people struggle to maintain calories and portions when sugar is in the mix and do better to avoid it altogether.

Lisa8823168 · March 2018

Don't let your thread get hijacked.
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In the context of her post, I frankly don't give a rats butt about the definition of addiction....the post was pretty clear...she was celebrating a victory, reaching out to others with a similar struggle and I applaud her for crossing the top of her mountain.
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There is no failure on the part of anyone who accomplishes a personal health goal and no harm is ever done telling your story in hopes of helping someone else. Harm is done when people get caught up on semantics and details instead of grasping your true meaning and victory dance. Weather addiction is physical or mental or just a word used in the wrong context, the main point is that people are sharing their personal struggle and victory over something that has a hold on them.
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Cravings are difficult...many of them triggered from childhood situations and emotional connections. Some of us crave food, some crave the high of showing off their muscle/bodies, some crave the power they feel by posting expert opinions on MFP. Ultimately, we all have a problem to overcome, recognized or not, and I am thrilled the OP is making strides on her health goals.

1houndgal · March 2018

AnnPT77 wrote: »

1houndgal wrote: »

100_PROOF_ wrote: »

Tiny_Dancer_in_Pink wrote: »

Which dried fruits?

The Dried fruit that is made up of................sugar ! Lol

Fruit sugar (fructose) is "sugar" fyi. Dried fruit is concentrated fruit sugar and weighs per gram than does the fruit it came from. Eat the actual fruit if you want to cut down on your simple carb ("sugar intake") intake.

But a prune contains exactly the same simple carbs as a plum. With a glass of water alongside, it's the pretty much same thing, including satiation.

Unless you overeat the dried fruit, or extra sugar has been added, there's not much difference.

I was thinking of over eating the dried fruit when I wrote what I wrote.

But as a type 2 diabetic, usually it is better to eat a filling piece of fruit than a dried piece of fruit for your blood sugar.

There can be a place in your diet for dried fruit and other dried foods (unless you want to be in ketosis ).

I personally like piece of candied ginger when I am nauseated, and I measure it. I eat it with a meal. And... my dog likes it also.

onward1 · March 2018

Leeg5656 wrote: »

We ate sugar toast, mustard sandwiches, mayo sandwiches, potato chip sandwiches, and pickle sandwiches. We weren't necessarily poor, but I think there wasn't a variety of snacks available back then, so we got creative with what we had!

^Yeah, but the best was open faced with butter and white sugar. Sometimes we even would have an "air sandwich", which was two pieces of white bread. Where was our mother during these food fests I wonder,lol.

TavistockToad · March 2018

fresh bread with thick butter and sugar... BEST FOOD....EVER! :laugh:

ravergirl1992 · March 2018

I only wish I was as strong as you, I just can't do it. I don't drink, smoke or do drugs and I exercise a lot. So I figure I can have one vice lol

TR0berts · March 2018

GaleHawkins wrote: »

mandy_godfree wrote: »

I was brought up on sugar. Not fizzy drinks and sweets, but my Mum made us sugar sandwiches when there was nothing else in the house, we always had puddings in the evening, and at least a dessert spoon of sugar on our cereal in the morning. My Dad even puts sugar in his peas when he cooks them.

These days I no longer have sugar sandwiches or sugar on my cereal but I do still have a sweet tooth. I was staying under my calorie goal for the day, but still had one sweetener in my tea and two in coffee, I was having at least two diet fizzy drinks and a chocolate bar every day when at work as well as cake at lunch on my days off, and puddings at dinner time. So to stay under my calorie goal meant forfeiting the good stuff to keep up with my sweet tooth.

Then as Lent approached I said to my husband I was thinking about cutting out most forms of processed sugar. Sweets, fizzy drinks, cakes, chocolate, biscuits and desserts. I didn’t think I’d make it past the first day, and to be honest neither did he, he was just kind enough not to tell me that he doubted my resolve.

Lent arrived and I cut out all of the above, but the withdrawal symptoms have persuaded me that sugar simply cannot be good for you. I have had mood swings, headaches, fatigue, irritability and at times depression like symptoms. This lasted about 3 1/2 weeks it has been horrendous. I googled sugar withdrawal just to make sure I wasn’t going mad. As a result of the symptoms, for the last week I have ditched sweetener in tea and halved sweetener in coffee as well. I am feeling much better and have lost a lb a week just by cutting out sugar. I have even tried to start cutting down on carbs as well and am taking much more notice of how much sugar is in my food.

I’ve noted my macros are far more balanced and I can eat more savoury food to make up for missing out on the calories, meaning I feel full for longer. Everything tastes different which means water is far more palatable than it was before and I now eat a low sugar breakfast cereal with no more than 7grams of sugar in it. Before my breakfast cereal had 12 grams of sugar. Have supplemented sweets with dried mango and fresh grapes to break up the monotony of long car journeys and trips to the cinema.

If I have learnt anything over Lent it’s how hard it is to find a suitable substitute for sugar snacking. We walked into a petrol station on a long car journey last week and there were shelves and shelves of crisps, chocolate, dips and sweets, but the fruit was hidden in a corner. Today it took me 20 minutes to find where the local supermarket had hidden the dried fruit.

I understand that there is no such thing as a clinical addiction to sugar, but for me the result of trying to avoid artificial sweetener and refined / processed sugar has sent me on a profound personal journey that makes me want to stay away from sugar even after Lent finishes next week. Hopefully I will stick to it in the most part and not start revisiting the local Waffle House once a week.

I have pleasantly surprised both myself and my husband and my experience has persuaded both my husband and my Dad to cut back on their sugar intake too. So hopefully I won’t have to cope with the same mood swings they’ve had to deal with from me.

Awesome post that mirrors the experiences of many others in one way or another. Thanks for sharing.

Other readers reactions supports my view that the woo button can serve as a replacement of the Awesome button in the minds of some.

GaleHawkins · March 2018

ravergirl1992 wrote: »

I only wish I was as strong as you, I just can't do it. I don't drink, smoke or do drugs and I exercise a lot. So I figure I can have one vice lol

It was a hellish 2 weeks in 2014 when I left off foods containing added sugars and/or any forms of grains so I could break free from the cravings that had crashed my health over prior 40 years.

A driver in my case was to not force the kids to deal with my premature death. Now at 67 I am still off highly processed foods and health is recovering nicely..

In my case it was only after I considered myself a Carb addict did I have the will to break free for the sake of my family.

Hang in there for others if not yourself.

Best of success.

SpanishFusion · March 2018

greyhoundwalker wrote: »

Leeg5656 wrote: »

We ate sugar toast, mustard sandwiches, mayo sandwiches, potato chip sandwiches, and pickle sandwiches. We weren't necessarily poor, but I think there wasn't a variety of snacks available back then, so we got creative with what we had!

I had tomato ketchup sandwiches as a child, still do occasionally!

I would dip my potato chips in ketchup!

GaleHawkins · March 2018

greyhoundwalker wrote: »

Leeg5656 wrote: »

We ate sugar toast, mustard sandwiches, mayo sandwiches, potato chip sandwiches, and pickle sandwiches. We weren't necessarily poor, but I think there wasn't a variety of snacks available back then, so we got creative with what we had!

I had tomato ketchup sandwiches as a child, still do occasionally!

It grossed out mom but I liked to dope white bread with a heavy layer of mustard. I still use it by putting 4 packets of mustard on my 1/4 pound fresh beef patty before I coat it with a side of dehydrated onions at McDonald's and eat it like a pie.

Nova · March 2018

Hey all, this topic has been cleaned. Please stay on topic.

This is not a debate about whether sugar is addicting or not. If you'd like to debate that, please make your own topic here: Debate: Health and Fitness

Further debating about whether sugar is an addiction or not, in this topic, will result in warnings.

Regards,
Nova

lemurcat12 · March 2018

The premise of the opening post seems to be that because OP felt bad when giving up sugar, sugar (in any amount) cannot be good for ANYONE, and that everyone would be better off in avoiding sugar.

IMO, that conclusion is not logical and does not follow. Mainly because OP started by explaining that she ate EXTREME amounts of sugar -- which hopefully most of us here do not, or stopped without making a big thing about -- and ate it to the extent that it affected her ability to enjoy most savory foods or even water. I think that's pretty unusual, and to assume that's a situation that is applicable to most people (so as to suggest that sugar is not good for any of us, in any amounts) is, IMO, a mistake.

OP then concludes that sugar must be bad for all of us because she felt bad cutting back on it (she doesn't seem to have cut out even added sugar). But I've cut out added sugar and did not feel bad, and then added it back in in moderation and found I felt good (and had no cravings) so long as I ate a sensible diet. So why would OP's experience be applicable to all? (she says sugar cannot be good for us, again).

I mean, rather obviously, excessive amounts of added sugar aren't great, and added sugar that leads to excessive calories or replacing more nutrient dense foods isn't a good idea. I think we probably all agree that in most cases added sugar should be in small amounts (if you like it in tea, say) or as part of a treat, not central to the diet. I am sure this is not controversial -- and I am confused when people seem to think it's somehow news. But is a healthy nutrient dense diet that contains some added sugar (as, I note, OP's seems to even during this Lent experiment) BAD for us, for all of us (as OP seemed to be claiming)? I don't think so, and that's my disagreement with the OP.

Now, of course, if you do eat excessive amounts of sugar, or a poor diet in any other way (for me focusing on what you DO eat, like adequate vegetables and protein, always seems a healthier way to start than with what you do not), you should change your diet, and I -- as stated above -- congratulate and encourage OP for doing so. But I think why the reaction -- and what the OP seems to me to be raising to discuss -- is this notion that somehow what she did demonstrates something about sugar being bad for all or about what we all should be doing (even those of us who don't eat lots of sugar?). I don't know -- I find the topic a little confusing, so if you think I'm off topic I apologize and I would appreciate a gentle correction as to what the topic is, if not this.

Sugar, hoping my post will be encouraging

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