I suck at sugar!

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AlexzKT
AlexzKT Posts: 131 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So I recently added sugar to my list of things that are monitored by my food diary, and it turns out that I go WAY WAY WAY over my sugar goal every day.

Granted, I know the source of a lot of it... I love my dessert and have ice cream nearly every day. BUT even if I were to stop the desserts, I'd still be way over. My breakfast, which I thought was perfectly fine, has 18g of sugar! Over half of the 30g MFP has set for me. My fabulously healthy lunch (salad with veggies and fat free balsamic and a bread roll) had 12g of sugar. Seriously? So it's 3pm, I haven't had dinner yet, and I've met my sugar "goal" of 30g already.

So my question for those of you that track you sugar and try to stay below is: how do you manage? What do you have for breakfast? Any other pointers?

No matter what - I know that 30g is never going to be possible. Ever. But I'm just going to try not going over by 60-100g anymore!! (Insane!)

Thanks guys (:
-Alexz

Replies

  • Nerdy_Rose
    Nerdy_Rose Posts: 1,277 Member
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    I thought it was set too low, and changed my goal to 40g of sugar per day. Still really hard. I recently started using Stevia to sweeten my coffee.
  • CountryDevil
    CountryDevil Posts: 819 Member
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    I have been told and read here that sugars from natural foods are not that big if an issue. It is the refined and sugars added into processed foods that you need to be mindful of.
  • Sj20fame
    Sj20fame Posts: 205 Member
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    hmmmm....I don't watch my sugars O_O maybe I should.....I did change my diary setting to be able to watch my sodium! Now I'm questioning which is more important, even though I know all are, they don't all fit to view in my diary.....
  • WendyHJ
    WendyHJ Posts: 60
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    I just posted a podcast at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/315870-added-sugars-ask-the-nutritionist-podcast
  • CarlydogsMom
    CarlydogsMom Posts: 645 Member
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    Protein breakfasts are the way I go. I do my workout, then cook (quick, either microwave or stovetop) turkey sausage, egg beaters, fat-free feta cheese, and fresh baby spinach torn up. You can make it ahead of time, and just zap it for a few minutes in the morning. Low-carb, low-sugar, and it keeps me full most of the morning.
  • digby765
    digby765 Posts: 163
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    Hi I struggle with keeping the sugar down too, try switching for lower sugar cereals, i.e weetabix change to oatibix

    Select as many no added sugar items you can in the supermarket, be aware that some so called diet foods contain more sugar than you'd imagine.
  • alyssa92982
    alyssa92982 Posts: 1,093 Member
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    I used to watch my sugars but I deleted that and now watch my sodium. It seems to affect my weight more so
  • Jill_newimprovedversion
    Jill_newimprovedversion Posts: 988 Member
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    Harder to advise without actually seeing what you are eating- if you're comfortable, make your diary public
    and others can make suggestions on how to swap things out.

    I like milk ( skim) but it has 12 grams/cup. I found lactose free ( even though I'm not lactose intolerant) is generally lower,
    so I switched to it ( no difference in taste IMO) Valio's brand seems to the lowest I've found.
    Later, I switched to unsweetened vanilla almond milk for cereal and smoothies. I can't drink a glass of it straight, but it's fine otherwise.

    You'll be surprised as you read labels.
    Most things that are lower in fat seem to be higher in salt and sugar.
    Sometimes you can afford a little more fat if you want to save on sugar.

    And I love Truvia ( stevia) it works well to sweeten up stuff w/ out the questionable side effects of aspartame/sucrolose. Those trigger migraines and digestive problems for me personally. Stevia is a natural, no calorie sweetener.

    Don't pull your hair out- it's all a learning thing.
    You'll figure out what works for you

    Best Wishes to you.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    If you're not diabetic, the maximum TOTAL sugar per day is 100g. That's sugar from all sources.

    Refined sugar is equally natural sugar. It's sugar that is harvested from the sugar cane plant, just like stevia is harvested from the stevia plant. So I don't know where this "fruit sugar = good, table sugar = bad" thing really comes from, as table sugar is 50% fructose, which is the same sugar found in fruit. The other 50% in table sugar is glucose. Glucose is the fuel that your brain lives on. Table sugar is actually a complex sugar, since it's a disaccharide, and fruit sugar, being a monosaccharide, is a simple sugar.
  • amberlineilene
    amberlineilene Posts: 153
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    I don't track sugar anymore, I eat fruit for breakfast and that usually send me into the red before lunch. I know I am making healthy choices but those red numbers make me feel bad..impossible.
  • wearystar
    wearystar Posts: 72 Member
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    i often go over my sugar too because i eat a bunch of fruits... which is natural sugar so i kind of ignore it =x
    i alther the number myself to keep my non-natural sugars in check... dunno if that would affect your number.
    i also love Sugar Free Jell-o pudding varieties, just as good as regular. and try "Light" ice creams, you can fine some flavors that are just as good as the full fat/sugar ones.
  • Sj20fame
    Sj20fame Posts: 205 Member
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    I used to watch my sugars but I deleted that and now watch my sodium. It seems to affect my weight more so

    I'm with ya on that, I feel sodium is what kicks my *kitten*!
  • Xandralexa
    Xandralexa Posts: 87
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    Yeah I'm so over watching my sugar intake. It's in practically everything I eat. I can eat healthy low cal all week and I'm still over.
    I've been doing MFP tracking for 2 months and sugar is the only one that can't get under control. I'm so over it. I don't drink soda anymore, I never eat cake/doughnuts, cookies are once in a blue and I use sweeteners when needed. Sugar sucks.
  • fionat29
    fionat29 Posts: 717 Member
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    OK so I've read this and I'm going to change my sugar level to 100g! I couldn't believe hoe much I was over, when I looked.
  • hpsnickers1
    hpsnickers1 Posts: 2,783 Member
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    If you're not diabetic, the maximum TOTAL sugar per day is 100g. That's sugar from all sources.

    Refined sugar is equally natural sugar. It's sugar that is harvested from the sugar cane plant, just like stevia is harvested from the stevia plant. So I don't know where this "fruit sugar = good, table sugar = bad" thing really comes from, as table sugar is 50% fructose, which is the same sugar found in fruit. The other 50% in table sugar is glucose. Glucose is the fuel that your brain lives on. Table sugar is actually a complex sugar, since it's a disaccharide, and fruit sugar, being a monosaccharide, is a simple sugar.

    Where it came from? Quite a while ago the "experts" decided to add the word 'natural' or 'fruit' to make the sugar seem like it's better for you. Yes - sugar is sugar. The only difference is the nutrients that come with fruit. I find my brain runs better on minimal 'added' glucose and ketone bodies. And if you are dealing with the problem of obesity then excessive sugar can be your enemy. When I cut out the carbs (including fruit - I stick with berries) and increased my fat - my protein was already at a good number - I started dropping weight like crazy. In three months I've lost about 3%-4% of my body fat, my muscle definition started showing up, my belly went away - for the first time in my life. And this was at a healthy weight of 120.4lbs (5'2"). Three months later I am 111.6lbs. All carbs are converted to glucose in the body (not including fiber). Even the carbs in veggies are converted to glucose. But there are very, very few carbs in fibrous veggies.

    N=1 for me!
  • BeverageTreats
    BeverageTreats Posts: 149 Member
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    Where it came from? Quite a while ago the "experts" decided to add the word 'natural' or 'fruit' to make the sugar seem like it's better for you. Yes - sugar is sugar. The only difference is the nutrients that come with fruit. I find my brain runs better on minimal 'added' glucose and ketone bodies. And if you are dealing with the problem of obesity then excessive sugar can be your enemy. When I cut out the carbs (including fruit - I stick with berries) and increased my fat - my protein was already at a good number - I started dropping weight like crazy. In three months I've lost about 3%-4% of my body fat, my muscle definition started showing up, my belly went away - for the first time in my life. And this was at a healthy weight of 120.4lbs (5'2"). Three months later I am 111.6lbs. All carbs are converted to glucose in the body (not including fiber). Even the carbs in veggies are converted to glucose. But there are very, very few carbs in fibrous veggies.

    N=1 for me!

    That is interesting. I haven't been quite as strict as you, but I've been slowly edging my way closer away from refined sugar and closer to berries being the only fruit.

    Then today I had a nectarine and a Clif Builder bar and I have been sick as a dog since about half an hour later.

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